OLD  PLATE. 


NO.  1. — EWER  AND  SALVER.  (1793.) 

THE  PROPERTY  OF  MRS.  M.  A.  RIVES. 


^ r 

w 


©ID  opiate. 


GWG$I®TI(£AL,  DG(£0I?ATIVG,  ADD  DomGSTIC; 


3it0  jttaficrs  ana  jftat&& 


BY 

J.  H.  BUCK. 

'UJITF)  GIGRTY-TUJO  ILLU$TRATIOn$. 


neyj- YORK  : 

3Cfje  (©ortjam  Manufacturing  Company. 

1888. 


Copyright,  1888. 

The  Gorham  Manufacturing  Co 


The  Devinne  Press. 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

1.  Ewer  and  Salver  (1793) ; the  property  of  Mrs.  M.  A.  Rives.  Front- 

ispiece. 

2.  Chalices,  South  Kensington  Museum,  London  64 

3.  Chalice  (1479);  Nettlecombe 65 

4.  Paten  for  same 66 

5.  Bishop  Fox’s  Chalice  (1507);  Corpus  Christi College,  Oxford 67 

6.  Paten,  Trinity  College,  Oxford 68 

7.  Sir  Thomas  Pope’s  Chalice  (1527) ; Trinity  College,  Oxford 69 

8.  Communion  Cup  (1570) ; Cirencester 70 

9.  Communion  Cup  (1569);  Scroll-and-Keys  Society,  Yale  University. . 71 

10.  Pewter  Communion  Vessels,  Circa,  1640 72 

11.  Communion  Cup  and  Cover,  Christ  Church,  Monmouth  73 

12.  Book  Plate,  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel 74 

13.  Communion  Flagon  (1694) ; Christ  Church.  Cambridge  76 

14.  Sideboard  of  the  XVI.  Century 79 

15.  Maidenhead  Spoon,  C.  1540  81 

16.  Set  of  Thirteen  Apostles’ Spoons  (1626)  82 

17.  Apostles’  Spoons,  XVI.  Century 86 

18.  Apostles’  Spoons,  XVII.  and  XVIII.  Centuries;  from  the  collection 

of  Mrs.  S.  P.  Avery 86 

19.  The  Pudsey  Spoon  (1525) 87 

20.  Spoons  of  the  XVI.  XVII.  and  XVIII.  Centuries 88 

21.  Mazer  (Temp.  Richard  II.) 92 

22.  Cup  with  Rodney  Arms  93 

23.  Cylindrical  Salt  (1613);  Imperial  Treasury,  Moscow 95 

24.  Salt  (1607);  Christ’s  Hospital,  London 96 

25.  Oct.  Salt  (1685);  Mercers’  Hall,  London 96 

26.  Circular  Salt  (1644);  Harvard  University 97 

27.  The  Eddystone  Light-house  Salt  (1698) 98 

28.  Trencher  Salts 98 

29.  Salver  (C.  1690);  the  property  of  Mr.  F.  H.  Betts . 101 

29a.  Large  Salver  (1736);  Messrs.  Howard  & Co 101 

30.  Cup  and  Cover  (1618) ; S.  Mary’s,  Ambleside 107 

31.  Loving-Cup  (C.  1700);  Harvard  University 108 

32.  Loving-Cup  (C.  1731);  Harvard  University 109 

33.  Russian  Cup  (Moscow,  1745);  Gorham  Manufacturing  Co 110 


vi  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

PAGE 

34.  Tankard  (1574);  Ashmolean  Museum,  Oxford 113 

35.  Irish  Tankards  (1680) ; Merchant  Taylors’  Hall,  London 114 

36.  Tankard  (C.  1650);  the  property  of  Mr.  R.  S.  Ely 115 

37.  Tankards  (1729) ; Harvard  University 116 

38.  Beaker  (1604) ; Mercers’ Hall,  London 119 

39.  Beaker,  XVII.  Century,  S.  Mary’s  Church,  Burlington,  N.  J 119 

40.  Cup  and  Cover  (1660);  South  Kensington  Museum 120 

41.  Cup  (1667);  Seroll-and-Keys  Society,  Yale  University 121 

42.  Cup  (1686);  “ ' “ ' 121 

43.  Cup  (1702);  “ “ 122 

44.  Cup  (1775);  “ “ 122 

45.  Cup  and  Cover  (1686) ; Christ  Church,  Bruton  Parish,  Va 123 

46.  Cup  (1758) ; Gorham  Manufacturing  Co  . . 123 

47.  Fork  (C.  1686);  the  property  of  Mr.  G.  Wilkinson  126 

48.  Monteith  (1702);  Vintners’  Hall,  London  . ..  128 

49.  Candlestick  (1698);  Messrs.  Howard  & Co 130 

50.  Candlestick  (1722);  the  property  of  Mr.  R.  S.  Ely 131 

51.  Wine-cistern  (1734);  Winter  Palace,  St.  Petersburg 133 

52.  Tea-pot  (1769);  Gorham  Manufacturing  Co ■ 135 

53.  Coppee-pot  (1764);  Salters’  Hall,  London 136 

54.  Kettle  and  Stand  (1732);  Windsor  Castle 137 

55.  Chocolate-Pot  (1777);  South  Kensington  Museum  138 

56.  Communion  Service  (1709);  Trinity  Church,  New-York  142 

57.  Alms  Bason  (1747);  Trinity  Church,  New-York . 143 

58.  Chalice  (1764);  Trinity  Church,  New-York 144 

59.  Chalice  (1708);  S.  George’s  Church,  Hempstead,  L.  1 146 

60.  Chalice  (1704);  Grace  Church,  Jamaica,  L.  1 147 

61.  Communion  Service  (1773) ; S.  Peter’s  Church,  Lewes,  Del.  153 

62.  Beaker,  S.  Anne’s  Church,  Middletown,  Del 154 

63.  Chalice  and  Paten  (1718);  Trinity  Church,  Wilmington,  Del.  156 

64.  Flagon  and  Chalice  (1707) ; Hyattsville,  Md 157 

65.  Dummer  Crest  and  Inscription .158 

66.  Hancock  Arms 161 

67.  Williams  Arms 163 

68.  Byeield  Arms 164 

69.  Frizell  Arms  and  Inscription 165 

70.  Welsteed  Arms  and  Inscription 167 

71.  Inscription  on  Tankard  (1724) 167 

72.  Goodridge  Arms 168 

73.  Foster  Arms 169 

74.  Hutchinson  Arms 169 

75.  Winthrop  Arms 171 

76.  Communion  Plate  (1694);  Christ  Church,  Cambridge 190 

77.  Inscription  on  Foot  op  Flagon  (1694) . . 191 

78-  FaneuilArms 191 

79.  Standing  Dish  (1674);  S.  Paul’s  Church,  Newburyport 200 

80.  Chalice  and  Paten  (1718);  S.  John’s  Church,  Richmond,  Va 212 

81.  Chalices,  Christ  Church,  Norfolk,  Va 214 

82.  Flagon  and  Chalice  (1720);  S.  John’s.  Lunenburg,  Va 216 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE 

Gold  — Silver  — Their  Allots  — The  English  Standard  — The  As- 
say— Frosted  Silver  — Goldsmiths’  Weights.  . 1 

CHAPTER  II. 

The  Medi*?al  Guilds  — The  Goldsmiths  Company  op  London — Legis- 
lation and  Marks— The  Provincial  Assay  Towns  11 

CHAPTER  III. 

Plate  and  Plate  Buyers 18 

CHAPTER  IY. 

Scotland  — Ireland  — France  — Germany  — Holland  — Spain  — Rus- 
sia— America 33 

CHAPTER  Y. 

Historical  Sketch  — Frauds  and  Imitations  — Transformations  — 

Plate  Forgers 40 

CHAPTER  VI. 

American  Silversmiths:  Boston — Albany  — New  York — Philadel- 
phia— Providence 52 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Ecclesiastical  Plate  : Chalices  and  Patens — Elizabethan  Commun- 
ion Cups  — Flagons  — Alms  Basons — Candlesticks 62 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Decorative  and  Domestic  Plate:  Obsolete  Vessels — Spoons — 

Mazers  — Salts  — Stone-ware  Jugs — Ewers  — Basons  and  Sal- 
vers— Standing-Cups  and  Hanaps  — Tankards  — Smaller  Cups 
op  Various  Kinds  — Plates — Forks  — Monteiths  — Candlesticks, 
Sconces,  etc. — Toilet  Services— Casters  and  Cruet  Stands  — 

Tea  and  Coffee  Services,  Kettles,  etc. — Cake  Baskets  and 
Epergnes 


78 


CONTENTS. 


viii 

CHAPTER  IX. 

PAGE 

Ecclesiastical  Plate:  New  York-New  Jersey — Pennsylvania  — 
Delaware  — Maryland  — Massachusetts  — New  Hampshire  — 
Rhode  Island  — Connecticut  — North  Carolina  — South  Caro- 
lina— Virginia 141 

Chronological  List  op  Examples  op  American  Plate 220 

Chronological  List  op  Examples  op  Plate  with  the  London  Date- 

letters  and  Makers’  Marks 225 

Examples  op  English  and  Foreign  Hall  Marks  239 

Tables  op  the  London  Date-letters 241 

Table  op  Makers’  Marks,  London,  1675-1697  248 

France:  Paris  Date-letters  — List  op  the  Farmers,  etc 252 

Index  op  Places 257 

Index  op  Donors  op  Plate 258 

Index  of  Makers  and  Marks  - 260 

General  Index.  266 


PREFA CE . 


It  is  only  of  recent  years  that  any  attempt  has  been  made  to 
supply  the  public  and  buyers  of  Old  Plate  with  the  materials 
for  a knowledge  of  that  part  of  the  silversmiths'1  craft  relat- 
ing to  assay  offices  and  their  marks. 

In  1853  Mr.  Octavius  Morgan  brought  out  a table  of  London 
date-letters ; he  was  followed  by  Mr.  W.  Chaffers , in  1863, 
with  u Hall  Marks  on  Plate''  now  in  its  sixth  edition.  In 
April , 1876,  the  u Quarterly  Review  " took  the  matter  up  in  an 
able  article  on  u Plate  and  Plate  Buyers which  seems  to  have 
suggested  to  Mr.  W.  J.  Cripps  the  scope  of  his  indispensable 
hand-books , u Old  English  Plate  f the  third  edition  of  which 
has  been  recently  issued ',  and  u Old  French  Plate  " (1880). 
This  volume  is  based  upon  the  latter  works , by  the  kind  per- 
mission of  Mr.  Cripps , with  the  necessary  additions  to  render 
it  suitable  to  this  side  of  the  Atlantic. 

The  notes  on  American  silversmiths , on  plate  to  be  found  in 
our  churches , and  the  Chronological  lists , are  the  result  of  the 
author's  investigations  carried  on  by  the  kind  permission 
and  through  the  liberality  of  The  Gorham  Manufacturing 
Company. 

The  writer's  thanks  are  due  to  the  Rectors  and  Custodians 
of  the  various  churches  mentioned , to  the  President  of  Harvard 
University , and  to  the  owners  of  the  numerous  pieces  of 
plate  illustrated  or  described.  Thanks  are  likewise  due  to 
Messrs.  Howard  & Co.  for  placing  their  fi.ne  collection  of  old 


X 


PREFACE. 


silver  at  his  disposal , and  to  Mr.  C.  de  It.  Howland  for  able 
assistance  in  the  preparation  of  the  Chronological  list  of  ex- 
amples with  London  Hall  Marks . 

As  an  aid  to  amateurs  and'  collectors , facsimiles  of  many 
marks  are  given , which , together  with  the  tables  of  date-letters 
and  the  index  of  makers ’ initials  and  names , should  enable 
them  to  give  the  date  of  any  genuine  silver , or  to  avoid  the 
manufactured  antiques  which  are  imported  in  large  quanti- 
ties and  exposed  for  sale  in  so  many  of  the  bric-a-brac  stores 
of  our  large  cities. 

Grateful  acknowledgements  must  be  made  to  Mr.  R.  S.  Ely 
and  Mr.  S.  P.  Avery , of  New  York ; to  Mr.  W.  H.  Kennard , 
Dr.  F,  • amis  H.  Brown , the  Rev.  W.  H.  Foote , Mr.  Richard 
C.  Lichtenstein , and  Mr.  W.  B.  Trask  of  Boston;  to  the  Rev. 
E.  R.  Armstrong  of  Lewes  and  Dr.  Horace  Burr  of  Wilming- 
ton, Delaware ; to  Miss  N . T.  Pendleton , Warsaw,  Miss  Vir- 
ginia Ritchie,  Brandon,  Miss  C.  B.  T.  Coleman,  Williams- 
burg, and  Hy.  F.  W.  Southern , Richmond,  all  of  Virginia;  to 
other  kind  friends  who  have  supplied  information,  sketches, 
etc. ; and,  lastly,  to  the  De  Vinne  Press  for  their  efforts  in 
reproducing  the  inscriptions  and  marks. 

Impressions  of  Hall  marks  on  old  silver,  especially  those 
engraved  with  dates  of  presentation,  ivill  be  very  acceptable,  as 
will  also  be  any  accounts  of  native  silversmiths. 


New  York,  March,  1888. 


J.  H.  B. 


©Iti  opiate 


* 

CHAPTER  I 

GOLD  — SILVER  — THEIR  ALLOYS  — THE  ENGLISH  STANDARD  — THE  ASSAY  — 
FROSTED  SILVER  — GOLDSMITHS’  WEIGHTS. 


OLD  and  silver,  metals, — widely  distributed  over 
the  old  and  new  worlds, — were  known  from  the 
earliest  times.  Gold  being  found  in  a native  state 
was  at  once  fit  for  use,  but  silver,  requiring  more 
preparation  from  its  ore,  had  probably  to  wait  until  man  had 
devised  some  method  of  working  it.  Once  known,  its  won- 
derful properties  as  an  art-medium  were  immediately 
appreciated,  and  it  soon  superseded  gold  for  almost  all  pur- 
poses but  that  of  personal  ornament.  In  the  Book  of  Gen- 
esis we  read  that  “Abram  was  very  rich  in  cattle,  in  silver, 
and  in  gold,”  and  there  are  over  three  hundred  passages  in 
Holy  Writ  in  which  mention  is  made  of  the  precious  metals. 

The  Egyptians,  Assyrians,  Phoenicians,  Greeks,  and 
Romans  were  all  well  acquainted  with  both  gold  and  silver, 
but  as  we  approach  the  arts  of  Greece  and  Italy  we  have 
far  more  to  rely  upon  both  in  examples  still  existing  and  in 
descriptions  given  by  ancient  writers.  In  Homer’s  time, 
and  for  long  after,  all  decorative  metal-work  was  made  by 
the  hammer  out  of  thin  pieces  of  plate,  the  different  pieces 
being  joined  together  by  pins  or  rivets.  The  Greeks 
valued  much  of  their  work  for  its  lightness ; but  it  would 


2 


OLD  PLATE. 


seem  that  by  stamping  weight  upon  any  object  of  gold 
and  silver  the  Romans  valued  it  for  the  opposite  reason. 
We  read  in  the  poems  of  Homer  and  in  other  very  early 
hooks  that  shields  and  armor  and  chariots  were  made  of 
or  decorated  with  gold ; and  a large  quantity  of  gold  and 
silver  vessels  and  personal  ornaments  has  been  discovered 
within  the  last  few  years  upon  what  is  said  to  be  the  site  of 
Troy  and  the  palace  of  King  Priam. 

Some  centuries  later,  in  the  days  of  Phidias  and  the  great 
sculptors  of  that  time,  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  the 
art  reached  the  highest  degree  of  perfection.  Gold  and 
silver  glittered  everywhere,  and  were  used  to  such  an  extent 
that  these  metals  almost  passed  out  of  the  hands  of  the  sil- 
versmith and  became  a material  for  the  builder.  All  their 
works  have  perished;  although  some  remained  perfect  until 
long  after  Christianity  had  been  accepted  as  the  religion  of 
the  Eoman  Empire.  The  conversion  of  Constantine  the 
Great  and  the  removal  of  the  rest  of  his  government  to 
Constantinople  caused  a complete  revolution  in  the  world 
of  art. 

During  the  succeeding  centuries,  as  civilization  spread 
over  Europe,  the  desire  to  possess  rich  vessels  and  orna- 
ments made  of  the  precious  metals  naturally  increased. 
Not  only  kings  and  princes  encouraged  artists  everywhere, 
but  religious  houses  ordered  splendid  works  for  the  use  of 
their  churches,  and  the  laity  offered  innumerable  gifts. 
These  treasures  in  their  turn  were  pillaged  and  destroyed 
by  various  hordes  of  barbarian  conquerors ; the  ancient 
services  of  gold  were  melted  into  money,  and  have  never 
since  been  replaced.  The  ancient  craft,  therefore,  of  the 
goldsmith  is  now  represented  by  the  two  existing  crafts  of 
the  silvebsmith  and  the  jewelek. 

The  largest  proportion  of  gold  and  silver  work  which  now 
exists,  made  in  the  mediaeval  times,  was  originally  for  sacred 
use  and  for  church  decoration.  This  is  so,  in  spite  of  the 
terrible  destruction  of  all  such  works  of  art  during  the 
numerous  wars  and  troubles  in  Europe.  In  the  United 
States,  prior  to  the  Revolution,  our  ancestors  depended 
largely  upon  the  mother  and  European  countries  for  articles 


GOLD  — SILVER. 


.3 


of  luxury,  and  quantities  of  plate  were  either  brought  over 
or  imported.  u The  early  settlers  of  Massachusetts,  New 
York,  Maryland,  Virginia,  and  the  Carolinas,  being  to  a 
large  extent  of  good  families,  brought  with  them  their  silver, 
all  of  the  best  period.”  Before  proceeding  to  consider  the 
plate*  to  be  found  in  this  country,  and  the  makers’  and 
other  marks  from  which,  as  we  shall  find,  it  is  often  pos- 
sible for  the  expert  to  gather  much  curious  information,  it 
will  be  well  to  note  what  may  seem  to  be  of  use  to  the 
amateur  and  collector  of  old  plate  as  to  the  precious  metals 
themselves  and  their  alloys. 

Gold  is  now  employed  as  the  standard  of  value  through- 
out the  world.  It  has  a specific  gravity  of  19.25,  while  that 
of  silver  is  10.40,  or  not  much  more  than  half  the  weight  of 
gold.  For  convenience  of  use,  the  weight  of  the  silver  article 
is  every  way  preferable  to  that  of  the  more  costly  metal. 
Silver  is  not  so  malleable  as  gold,  but  for  both  it  was  found 
expedient  from  the  earliest  times  to  employ  some  other 
metal  as  an  alloy  (a  la  loi)  to  give  them  the  required  degree 
of  hardness  for  working,  without  materially  affecting  their 
color.  It  is  found  that  whilst  silver  and  copper  are  the 
metals  which  can  be  most  usefully  employed  in  forming 
such  an  alloy  with  gold,  copper  only  can  be  advantageously 
used  for  the  alloy  with  silver. 

The  admixture  of  silver  with  gold  renders  the  alloy  paler 
and  yellower  than  pure  gold,  whilst  copper  makes  it  more 
red ; and  in  the  case  of  silver,  it  is  found  that  the  other 
white  metals  render  it  too  brittle  and  not  easily  workable. 
The  maximum  hardness  of  an  alloy  of  silver  is  obtained 
when  the  copper  amounts  to  one-fifth  of  the  silver,  but  the 
color  is  scarcely  impaired  when  the  alloy  consists  of  equal 
parts  of  the  two  metals  ; hence  a means  of  committing  great 
frauds. 

The  proportions  found  by  experience  to  produce  the  best 
result,  are:  for  gold  twenty-two  parts  (in  technical  terms 

* “ The  designation  plate  means,  strictly  speaking,  wrought  silver,  and  is 
derived  from  the  Spanish  word  plata,  although  it  is  frequently  wrongly 
applied  to  vessels  or  utensils  of  gold  as  well  as  silver ; hence  gold  plate  is 
erroneous  and  silver  plate  a pleonasm.” 


4 


OLD  PLATE. 


called  carats *)  of  fine  or  pnre  gold,  and  two  parts  of  alloy; 
and  for  silver  eleven  ounces  two  pennyweights  of  fine  silver, 
and  eighteen  pennyweights  of  copper  in  the  Troy  pound  of 
twelve  ounces,  or  in  other  words,  two  hundred  and  twenty-two 
parts  of  fine  silver  to  eighteen  such  parts  of  copper.  If  the 
quality  of  silver  is  given  in  thousandth  parts,  as  is  gener- 
ally the  case,  standard  silver,  which  contains  in  every  one 
thousand  parts  925  of  fine  silver,  would  be  reported  as  925. 
fine,  and  the  higher  or  Britannia  Standard,  which  will  be 
presently  mentioned,  as  959.  fine. 

Standard  gold,  expressed  in  the  same  way,  is  of  millesimal 
fineness,  916.66 ; whilst  eighteen-carat  gold  would  be  repre- 
sented by  750. 

Some  interesting  facts  about  these  alloys  are  to  be  found 
in  the  Report  for  1873  of  the  chemist  to  the  London  Mint. 
He  states  that  the  alloying  metal  now  employed  for  the 
English  coinage,  both  gold  and  silver,  is  copper  only,  and 
that  the  gold-copper  alloys,  of  one  of  which  “standard” 
gold  is  formed,  are  practically  homogeneous  — that  is  to  say, 
every  part  of  the  mixture  is  of  the  same  quality. 

The  result  in  the  case  of  standard  silver  alloy  is  not  so 
satisfactory.  This  appears  to  be  a “solidified  mechanical 
mixture  of  two  solutions,  and  the  cooling  of  such  an  alloy  is 
accompanied  with  a remarkable  molecular  re-arrangement, 
in  virtue  of  which  certain  combinations  of  the  molten  alloy 
become  segregated  from  the  mass  and  its  homogeneous 
character  is  destroyed.”  Portions  taken  from  different  parts 
of  a trial  plate  of  such  metal  would  not  necessarily  all  be  of 
exactly  the  same  degree  of  fineness,  though  the  whole  plate 
as  a mass  might  be  of  exactly  the  correct  standard. 

The  proportions  which  have  been  before  mentioned — viz., 
for  gold,  twenty-two  parts  or  carats  of  fine  gold  and  two 
parts  of  alloy ; and  for  silver,  eleven  ounces  two  penny- 
weights of  fine  silver,  and  eighteen  pennyweights  of  copper  — 
are  those  which  form  the  “ standard  ” or  “ sterling”  alloys. 

* The  carat  or  karat  is  a bean,  the  fruit  of  an  Abyssinian  tree  called 
kuara  ; these  beans,  from  the  time  of  their  being  gathered,  vary  very  little 
in  weight,  and  seem  to  have  been  used  in  Africa  for  weighing  gold.  In 
India  they  are  used  as  weights  for  diamonds,  as  well  as  in  Europe.  It 
contains  four  grains. 


THE  ENGLISH  STANDARD. 


5 


They  are  signified  whenever  the  expressions  “ standard 
gold  ” and  “ sterling  silver  ” are  used. 

The  following  extracts  from  “A  Touch-stone  for  Gold  and 
Silver  Wares;  or,  A Manual  for  Goldsmiths,”  by  W.  B.  of 
London,  Goldsmith,  1677,  will  here  prove  interesting : 

'‘Our  forefathers  confidering  that  Silver  in  its  fineft  degree  would  be  too 
foft  for  ufe  and  fervice  (for  the  fineft  Silver  is  almoft  as  foft  as  Lead),  did 
confult  to  reduce  or  harden  the  Silver  (by  allaying  it  with  bafer  Metal)  to 
fuch  a degree,  that  it  might  be  both  ferviceable  in  the  works,  and  alfo  in  the 
wearing  keep  its  native  Whitenefs  ; And  upon  Experiment  and  due  confidera- 
tion,  did  agree  that  there  fhould  be  put  Eighteen  penny  weight  of  fine  Copper 
into  Eleven  Ounces  and  two  penny  weight  Troy  of  the  fineft  Silver,  both 
which  makes  Twelve  Ounces  or  the  pound  Troy;  And  fo  according  to 
that  proportion  for  more  or  lefs ; (where  it  is  to  be  obferved,  That  either  Tin, 
Pewter,  or  Lead  being  put  into  Gold  or  Silver  for  the  allaying  thereof,  or 
being  mixt  "-herewith,  renders  it  extream  brittle,  and  altogether  unfit  for 
work);  which  degree  of  allay  is  concluded  upon  by  the  Law-makers  of  this 
Kingdome,  to  be  the  Standard  for  all  Silver  Money,  and  all  Silver  Works, 
and  is  commonly  called  the  Sterling  Allay  (from  the  Efterlings  or  men  that 
came  from  the  Az/7-Country,  and  were  the  first  Contrivers  and  makers  of 
that  allay;)  And  this  is  that  which  is  meant  in  the  Statute  of  18  Eliz.  Cap. 

1 5.  by  the  Exprefsion,  (to  wit.)  Not  lejs  in  finenefs  than  that  of  1 1 
Ounces  two  penny  weight.  And  for  this  purpofe  divers  Statutes  have  been 
made.”  . . . 

In  the  Middle  Ages,  the  mode  used  for  testing  the  fineness 
of  gold  and  silver  was  by  the  touch-stone,  or  pierre  de  touclie. 
Touch-stone,  or  Basanite,  is  an  imperfect  black  jasper,  or 
black,  flinty  slate,  originally  brought  from  Mount  Tmolus,  in 
Lydia ; it  is,  however,  found  in  various  parts  of  the  world, 
and,  indeed,  any  hard,  black,  siliceous  substance,  or  even  a 
piece  of  black  pottery,  will  serve  the  purpose. 

This  mode  of  trying  the  fineness  was  called  “ touching,” 
and  the  word  obtained  for  a long  time  after  the  adoption  of 
the  chemical  assay.  The  word  “ touch  ” seems  to  have  been 
applied  indifferently  to  the  trial,  to  the  quality  of  the  metal 
tested,  and  to  the  mark  impressed  upon  it. 

Shakspere,  in  u King  Richard  III.”  says  : 

K.  Rich.— -Ah,  Buckingham,  now  do  I play  the  touch. 

To  try  if  thou  be  current  gold  indeed. 

Act  iv..  Scene  ii. 


6 


OLD  PLATE. 


For  the  trial  of  gold,  sets  of  touch-needles  or  bars  were 
used,  one  set  alloyed  with  copper,  another  with  silver,  and 
in  some  cases  a third  set  alloyed  with  silver  and  copper 
mixed,  twenty-four  in  each  set,  according  to  the  twenty- 
four  carats’  fineness  of  gold.  The  streak  or  touch  made 
on  the  touch-stone  with  the  piece  under  examination  was 
compared  with  the  streaks  made  by  the  needles ; these 
streaks  were  also  washed  with  aquafortis,  which,  dissolving 
the  alloying  metals,  left  the  gold  pure,  and  by  the  compari- 
son its  fineness  was  determined. 

For  testing  silver,  sets  of  needles  were  also  used.  In 
Germany  the  set  consisted  of  sixteen,  after  the  sixteen  loth 
according  to  which  the  standard  of  fineness  was  there  com- 
puted, but  doubtless  the  number  varied  in  different  coun- 
tries according  to  the  computation  of  the  standard. 

In  skillful  hands  much  information  could  be  derived  from 
the  sensation  of  greasiness  or  dryness,  roughness  or  smooth- 
ness, imparted  by  the  stroke ; but  this  test  has  been  little 
used  for  many  centuries,  and  it  could  never  have  been  a 
satisfactory  mode  of  ascertaining  the  purity  of  silver,  into 
which  so  much  copper  could  be  introduced  without  mate- 
rially affecting  its  color,  though  it  is  probable  that  the 
hardness  of  the  alloy  aided  in  the  detection  of  fraud. 

The  “ touch,”  however,  long  continued  the  mode  of  trying 
gold,  and  indeed  is  even  used  at  the  present  day  for  rough 
examinations.  The  period  at  which  the  chemical  assay,  or 
assay  by  the  cupel,  was  first  introduced  is  not  exactly  known, 
but  it  was  certainly  practiced  in  the  xm.  century,  and  was 
the  mode  of  examination  adopted  by  the  authorities  in  the 
xiv.  century. 

The  process  of  the  “ scrape  and  panting  assay”  in  contra- 
distinction to  the  “ touch , or  examination  by  a stone,”  is  as 
follows : for  gold,  to  a portion  of  metal  scraped  off  the 
article  to  be  examined,  say  about  eight  graius,  after  being 
accurately  weighed,  is  added  three  times  its  weight  of  silver, 
and  a proper  proportion  of  lead,  the  latter  by  wrapping  the 
gold  and  silver  in  a piece  of  sheet  lead.  The  whole  is  placed 
in  a small,  shallow,  porous  crucible,  made  of  bone  ashes, 
called  a cupel,  and  exposed  to  a bright-red  heat ; the  metals 


THE  ASSAY. 


7 


melt,  and  whilst  the  silver  and  gold  combine,  the  lead  and 
alloying  metals  become  oxidized,  and  the  oxides  are  ab- 
sorbed by  the  cupel,  leaving  a button  of  pure  gold  and  silver. 
This  button  is  then  flattened,  rolled  out  into  a strip,  which 
is  then  coiled  into  a sort  of  screw,  called  a “ cornet  ” ; this 
is  placed  in  hot  diluted  nitric  acid,  by  which  the  silver  is 
dissolved  and  the  gold  alone  remains ; the  cornet  is  then 
treated  with  stronger  nitric  acid,  washed,  and  lastly  made 
red-hot ; when  cold  it  is  weighed  again,  and  the  difference 
between  its  present  weight  and  the  original  weight  of  the 
scrapings  carefully  determined.  For  silver  the  process  is 
much  the  same;  a certain  portion,  usually  about  ten  or 
twenty  grains,  is  scraped  off  the  article,  some  being  taken 
from  each  separate  part ; this  is  wrapped  in  lead  of  propor- 
tionate weight,  and  the  whole  heated  in  the  cupel.  The 
result  is  the  same  as  in  the  case  of  gold,  except  that  the 
button  remaining  is  of  pure  silver  only ; the  difference  be- 
tween the  weight  of  this  button  and  the  original  weight  of 
the  portion  operated  upon,  shows  the  amount  of  alloy.  The 
portion  of  metal  taken  off  for  examination  is  called  the 
“ diet.” 

These  processes  are  described  in  detail  in  the  “ Touch-stone 
for  Gold  and  Silver  Wares,”  that  of  the  “Assay  office”  being 
still  carried  on  at  Goldsmiths  Hall,  London,  in  precisely  the 
same  manner  as  then. 

“ If  any  Perfon  hath  bought  or  received  (of  any  worker  or  feller  of  Silver 
work)  anv  kind  of  Silver  wares  fufpected  to  be  deceitful,  the  fame  deceipt 
may  be  known  without  doing  prejudice  to  the  work,  by  rubbing  the  Plate 
in  fome  place  leaft  in  fight,  with  a File  of  indifferent  finenefs ; and  if  it  be 
worfe  than  Starling  it  will  appear  Yellowifh,  or  elle  file  it  a little,  and  rub 
the  Place  filed  on  a cleane  Touch-ftone,  and  clofe  by  it  rub  the  edge  of  a 
good  Half-Crown-piece,  or  fuch  like  thick  money,  and  the  difference,  if 
any,  will  appear. 

“The  reafon  that  I direct  the  filing  the  Work  is  this  (to  wit)  that  the  Arti- 
ficial boiling  of  courfe  Silver  work,  will  fo  eat  or  diffolve  the  Allay  that  is  on 
the  furface  or  outfide  thereof,  that  unlels  it  be  filed  as  abovefaid  it  will  Touch 
on  the  Touch-ftone  fix  pence  or  eight  pence  in  the  ounce  better  then  it  is. 

“ Note  further.  That  to  know  a good  Touch-ftone,  you  must  obferve, 
That  the  beft  fort  are  very  black,  and  of  a fine  grain,  polifhed  very  lmooth, 
and  without  any  fpungy  or  grain-holes;  And  near  the  hardnefs  of  a Flint, 


8 


OLD  PLATE. 


but  yet  with  fuch  a fharp  cutting  greet  that  it  will  cut  or  wear  the  Silver  or 
Gold  when  rubbed  thereon. 

“The  way  to  make  a true  Touch  on  the  Touch-ftone  is  thus ; When  your 
Touch-ftone  is  very  clean,  which  if  foul  or  foily,  it  may  be  taken  off,  by 
wetting  it,  and  then  rubbing  it  dry  with  a clean  Woollen  Cloth;  or  if  fill’d 
with  Touches  of  Gold  or  Silver;  & c.  it  may  be  taken  off  by  rubbing  the 
Touch-ftone  with  a pumice-ftone  in  water,  and  it  will  make  it  very  clean; 
then  (your  Silver  being  filed  as  above-faid)  rub  it  fteadily  and  very  hard 
on  the  ftone,  not  fpreading  your  Touch  above  a quarter  of  an  inch  long,  and 
no  broader  than  the  thicknefs  of  a Five-fhilling-piece  of  Silver;  And  fo  con- 
tinue rubbing  it  until  the  place  of  the  ftone  whereon  you  rub,  be  like  the 
Metal  itfelf:  And  when  every  lort  is  rubbed  on,  that  you  intend  at  that 
time,  wet  all  the  touch’t  places  with  your  Tongue,  and  it  will  fhew  itfelf 
in  its  own  countenance. 

“If  it  appear  by  thefe  wayes  to  be  worfe  than  Standerd,  you  may  carry 
or  fend  it  to  the  Goldfmiths  Aj^ay-Office ; and  upon  your  defire  the  Officers 
there  will  make  an  affay  of  the  fame,  and  give  you  a true  report  of  the  value 
thereof  in  writing,  and  return  the  Ware  (and  Silver  taken  off  for  the  Affay) 
to  you  again,  no  more  defaced  than  what  is  done  by  the  fcraping  of  the  Sil- 
ver for  the  affay. 

“ But  if  you  are  minded  toTeep  the  matter  more  concealed,  you  may  artifi- 
cially cut  or  fcrape  between  18  or  24  grains  from  fome  one  part,  or  from  all 
the  parts  of  the  work  (except  the  foddered  places)  (for  lefs  in  weight  than 
between  18  and  24  grains  is  not  fufficient  for  an  affay).  Then  in  a piece  of 
paper  of  about  6 inches  long,  and  4 inches  broad.  At  the  one  end  write  down 
the  Owners  name,  and  the  day  of  the  Month  and  Year ; and  at  the  other  end 
put  the  cuttings  or  fcrapings  of  Silver  in  a fold,  turning  in  the  corners  once, 
to  prevent  the  fhedding  the  Silver,  and  fo  fold  up  all  the  paper  to  the  name 
fo  written,  on  the  top  as  aforefaid. 

“ Then  carry  or  fend  it  to  the  Goldfmiths  Affay-Office  as  aforefaid  (which 
is  now  on  the  South  part  of  their  Hall  in  Fojter-Lane,  London ) on  any  of 
the  Affay-days  before  the  hour  of  9 in  the  morning,  and  leave  it  with  the 
Affay  Mafter  or  his  Servant,  and  at  4 of  the  Clock  in  the  Afternoon  the 
fame  day  it  will  be  done  ; and  by  calling  there  for  the  Affay,  by  the  name  in 
the  paper,  it  will  be  delivered,  upon  the  payment  of  2d,  which  is  the  accuf- 
tomed  Fee  for  the  making  of  an  Affay.” 

It  is  scarcely  credible  that  every  separate  part  of  every 
separate  article  made  of  gold  or  silver  (with  few  exceptions) 
goes  through  this  process  of  examination  either  in  London 
or  in  one  of  the  provincial  assay  towns,  but  such  is  the  fact; 
and  we  are  greatly  indebted  to  the  companies  of  goldsmiths, 
and  especially  to  the  great  London  guild,  for  the  effectual 


G OL  7)  SMITHS’  WEIGHTS. 


9 


protection  afforded  by  their  vigilance  against  the  frauds 
which  prevailed  in  earlier  times. 

Reference  is  made  in  the  “ Touch-stone  ” to  the  “ artificial 
boiling  of  course  silver  work.”  If  silver  mixed  with  copper — 
our  own  standard  silver,  for  example  — be  heated  to  a dull- 
red  heat  in  air,  it  becomes  of  a black  color  from  the  forma- 
tion of  a film  of  oxide  of  copper,  and  if  this  be  removed  by 
its  being  dipped  in  hot  diluted  sulphuric  acid,  the  silver 
becomes  of  the  beautiful  white  appearance  called  “ frosted  ” 
silver,  owing  to  a film  of  pure  silver  being  left  on  its  imme- 
diate surface.  In  Mint  language  this  is  called  “ blanching.” 

We  find  the  celebrated  London  silversmith  of  the  last 
century,  Paul  Lamerie,  who  died  in  1751,  directing  in  his 
will  that  all  the  plate  in  hand  at  the  time  of  his  death  should 
be  “ forthwith  finished  and  made  fit  for  sale  by  being  boiled 
and  burnished.” 

LONDON  GOLDSMITHS’  WEIGHTS. 

In  former  times  the  Tower  pound,  or  pois  d’orfevres,  the 
old  pound  sterling  of  silver,  was  used  by  the  goldsmiths, 
and  in  the  earlier  inventories,  such  as  those  of  the  Treasury 
of  the  Exchequer  and  in  the  wardrobe  accounts,  the  weight 
of  articles  of  plate  is  recorded  in  such  pounds,  and  in  marks, 
shillings,  and  pence  for  subdivisions.  This  ancient  pound 
was  equal  to  5400  grains  Troy,  and  was  divided  into  twenty 
shillings,  and  these  last  into  twelve  pence  or  pennyweights ; 
the  mark  was  two-thirds  of  the  Tower  pound. 

These,  however,  ceased  to  be  legal  Mint  weights  in  the 
reign  of  Henry  VIII.  They  had  long  before  that  fallen  out 
of  common  use,  but  in  1526-27  (18  Henry  VIII.)  the  Tower 
pound  was  abolished  by  royal  proclamation.  The  Troy 
pound  then  substituted  for  the  Tower  pound  is  said  to  have 
been  introduced  into  England  as  early  as  the  great  French 
wars  of  the  reign  of  Edward  III.,  or  perhaps  earlier,  and  its 
name  was  no  doubt  derived  from  the  French  town  of  Troyes, 
where  a celebrated  fair  was  held.  It  has  been  used  ever 
since  by  the  trade  of  goldsmiths  for  all  gold  and  silver  wares 
among  the  English-speaking  race,  but  as  its  subdivisions 


10 


OLD  PLATE. 


are  not  so  commonly  known  as  the  avoirdupois  weights  of 
commercial  life,  it  will  he  useful  to  give,  in  addition  to  a 
table  of  the  Troy  weights,  a table  by  which  the  weight  of 
plate  as  ascertained  by  the  ordinary  domestic  avoirdupois 
scale  may  be  easily  and  quickly  converted  into  the  Troy 
reckoning  by  which  it  would  have  to  be  valued  or  sold. 


TROT  WEIGHTS. 

24  grains  = 1 dwt.  (pennyweight). 

480  grains  = 20  dwts.  = 1 oz.  (ounce). 

5760  grains  = 240  dwts.  = 12  oz.  ==  1 lb.  (pound). 


AVOIRDUPOIS  WEIGHTS. 

437?A  grains  = 1 oz.  7000  grains  = 16  oz.  = 1 lb. 
The  grain  is  the  same  in  both  cases. 


COMPARATIVE  TABLE 
A voirdupois . Troy. 

OF  TROY 

AND  AVOIRDUPOIS  WEIGHTS. 
Avoirdupois.  Troy. 

u 

oz.  = 

— 4 

dwts. 

13% 

grains 

8 

oz.  = 7 oz. 

5 

dwts.  20lA 

grains 

H 

oz.  = 

— 9 

CC 

2% 

cc 

9 

oz.  = 8 oz. 

4 

CC 

1% 

u 

l 

oz. 

— 18 

CC 

5% 

CC 

10 

oz.  = 9 oz. 

2 

CC 

7 

Cl 

2 

< ! Z . = 1 

oz.  16 

cc 

11 

cc 

11 

oz.  = 10  oz. 

0 

cc 

12% 

u 

3 

oz.  = 2 

oz.  4 

cc 

6 % 

u 

12 

oz.  = 10  oz. 

18 

u 

18 

u 

4 

oz.  = 3 

oz.  12 

cc 

22 

cc 

13 

oz.  = 11  oz. 

16 

u 

23% 

ll 

5 

oz.  = 4 

oz.  11 

cc 

3% 

cc 

14 

oz.  = 12  oz. 

15 

u 

5 

Cl 

6 

oz.  = 5 

oz.  9 

cc 

9 

cc 

15 

oz.  = 13  oz. 

13 

(( 

10% 

cc 

7 

oz.  = 6 

oz.  7 

cc 

175 

14%  “ 

oz.  Troy  = 192 

16 

oz. 

oz.  = 14  oz. 
Avoirdupois. 

11 

u 

16 

ll 

CHAPTER  II 


THE  MEDIEVAL  GUILDS  — THE  GOLDSMITHS  COMPANY  OP  LONDON — LEGISLA- 
TION AND  MARKS  — THE  PROVINCIAL  ASSAY  TOWNS. 


HERE  are  no  articles  in  the  manufacture  of 
which  such  extensive  frauds  can  be  committed 
in  so  small  a compass  as  in  those  made  of  the 
precious  metals,  and  there  are  no  frauds  more 
detection  by  ordinary  persons.  The  great  profit  to 
he  made  by  fraudulent  practices,  the  difficulty  of  detection, 
and  the  consequent  probability  of  escape  from  it,  and  from 
punishment,  have  at  all  times  exposed  the  dishonest  work- 
man to  irresistible  temptations.  In  very  early  times,  those 
who  carried  on  particular  trades  or  handicrafts  were  accus- 
tomed to  form  themselves  into  guilds  or  fraternities  for  the 
purpose  of  protecting  and  regulating  the  trade,  or  mystery, 
as  it  was  called,  which  they  exercised.  These  were  at  subse- 
quent periods  incorporated  by  royal  charters,  which  gave 
them  power  and  authority  to  carry  out  these  objects  more 
effectually.  Amongst  such  associations,  those  of  the  gold- 
smiths seem  to  have  been  early  formed  in  many  countries 
of  Europe.  In  1260  it  became  necessary  for  the  provost  of 
Paris  to  issue  a code  of  statutes  for  the  regulation  of  the 
goldsmiths,  who  already  existed  there  as  a corporate  body. 
Not  only  was  gold  of  an  inferior  quality  substituted  for  good 
gold,  but  articles  made  of  latten  were  gilt  and  palmed  off  for 
gold,  and  pewter  was  silvered  and  sold  for  the  genuine 
metal.  In  these  statutes  gold  is  ordered  to  be  of  “ the  touch 

11 


12 


OLD  PLATE. 


of  Paris,”  and  silver  as  good  as  u Sterlings  ” ( isterlins ), 
which  was  the  standard  of  the  English  coin. 

A second  and  more  extensive  code  was  issued  by  John  II. 
of  France  in  the  shape  of  Letters  of  Confirmation  given  at 
S.  Ouen  in  August,  1355,  when  it  was  ordered  that  every 
goldsmith  who  was  approved  by  the  masters  of  the  craft 
should  have  a puncheon  with  a countermark  of  his  own. 

At  Montpellier  the  goldsmiths  in  the  xiv.  century  consti- 
tuted a fraternity  governed  by  statutes,  and  they  had  a 
standard  of  their  own,  which,  however,  does  not  seem  to  have 
been  a high  one,  since  silver  might  contain  one-tliird  part 
of  alloy,  or  such  silver  as  would  come  white  out  of  the  fire, 
and  gold  of  fourteen  carats  fine  might  be  worked. 

At  Nuremberg  and  Augsburg,  cities  most  famous  for  them 
metal-workers,  as  well  as  in  many  other  places,  similar  guilds 
of  goldsmiths,  regulated  by  statutes,  existed. 

In  England  a fraternity  or  guild  of  goldsmiths  had  existed 
from  an  early  period,  for  in  1180,  the  twenty-sixth  year  of 
the  reign  of  Henry  II.,  it  was  amongst  other  guilds  amerced 
for  being  adulterine ; that  is,  set  up  without  the  King’s 
license.  It  was  not,  however,  incorporated  by  charter  for 
nearly  a hundred  and  fifty  years  after  this  time,  although  it 
had  special  duties  assigned  to  it,  one  of  the  duties  of  the 
wardens  of  the  craft  being  to  protect  their  trade  against 
fraudulent  workers  by  holding  official  examinations,  and 
placing  marks  upon  articles  so  examined. 

Some  such  marks  must  have  been  necessary  in  order  to 
certify  to  the  purchaser,  and  for  other  purposes,  a certain 
standard  purity  of  metal  in  articles  so  examined ; and  the 
official  stamps  by  which  it  was  certified  seem  to  have  been 
the  origin  of  the  marks  which  are  found  on  the  gold  and 
silver  plate  of  most  countries. 

Every  person  who  is  possessed  of  any  article  of  gold  or 
silver  plate,  has  probably  observed  a small  group  of  marks 
stamped  upon  some  part  of  it.  Few,  perhaps,  have  regard- 
ed them  in  any  other  light  than  as  a proof  that  the  article 
so  marked  is  made  of  the  metal  of  which  it  professed  to  be 
made,  and  that  the  metal  itself  is  of  a certain  purity.  And 
this  is,  in  fact,  the  ultimate  intention  of  these  marks,  but 


THU  LONDON  GOLDSMITHS  COMPANY. 


13 


besides  this  the  archaeologist  can  often  deduce  from  them 
other  important  and  interesting  information, — as  to  the 
year  in  which  any  article  bearing  them  was  made;  the  place 
at  which  it  was  made,  or  at  all  events  assayed ; the  maker’s 
name ; and  other  particulars. 

The  privilege  of  assaying  was  granted  to  the  London 
Goldsmiths  Company  in  1300  by  a statute  (28  Edward  I., 
stat.  3,  cap.  20),  which  ordained  “ That  no  goldsmith  should 
make  any  vessel,  jewel,  or  other  thing  of  gold  or  silver 
unless  it  be  of  good  and  true  alloy  . . . and  that  no  vessel 
of  silver  depart  out  of  the  hands  of  the  workers  until  it  be 
assayed  by  the  wardens  of  the  craft,  and  marked  with  the 
leopard’s  head.” 

The  guild  was  regularly  incorporated  in  1327,  and  further 
legislation  in  1363  (37  Edward  III.,  cap.  7)  ordered  that  no 
goldsmith,  as  well  in  London  as  elsewhere  within  the  realm, 
should  work  any  gold  or  silver  but  of  the  alloy  of  good 
sterling ; that  every  master  goldsmith  should  have  a mark 
by  himself  which  should  be  known  by  them  who  should  be 
assigned  to  survey  their  work  and  allay;  that  the  goldsmiths 
should  not  set  their  mark  till  their  work  was  assayed ; and 
that  after  the  assay  made,  the  surveyor  should  set  the  King’s 
mark  upon  it,  and  then  the  goldsmith  his  mark,  for  which 
he  should  answer. 

We  thus  have  a standard  mark  since  1300,  and  a maker’s 
mark  from  1363. 

The  latter  marks  were  at  first,  in  many  cases,  emblems, 
or  symbols ; probably  often  selected  in  allusion  to  the  name 
of  the  maker.  In  early  times,  most  shops  had  signs  by 
which  they  were  known,  and  some  retain  the  custom  even 
to  the  present  day,  especially  on  the  Continent.  This,  no 
doubt,  arose  from  the  fact,  that  as  few  persons  could  read, 
the  writing  of  the  name  would  be  of  little  use,  whereas  the 
setting  up  of  some  sign,  such,  for  instance,  as  the  golden 
ball,  which  was  easily  understood,  gave  a convenient  name  to 
the  shop;  it  is,  therefore,  not  improbable  that  Lie  goldsmiths, 
in  some  cases,  took  for  their  mark  the  sign  of  their  shop. 

Sometimes  initial  letters  were  used  as  the  worker’s  marks, 
and  eventually  they  became  the  rule  ; indeed,  symbols  and 


14 


OLD  PLATE. 


emblems,  unaccompanied  by  any  initial  letters,  hardly  ever 
occur  later  than  the  commencement  of  the  xvii.  century. 

It  is  pretty  clear  that  in  the  xiv.  century,  owing  to  the 
frauds  committed,  a great  move  was  made  throughout 
Europe  with  respect  to  goldsmiths,  France  and  perhaps 
Montpellier  taking  the  lead. 

In  the  xv.  century,  abuses  and  frauds  in  the  trade  had 
greatly  multiplied.  Public  clamor  was  raised  against  the 
principal  silversmiths  for  working  below  the  standard.  To 
insure  the  legal  standard,  the  goldsmiths  of  Montpellier,  in 
1436,  ordained,  besides  the  name  of  the  silversmith,  that 
the  name  of  the  warden  of  the  mystery  should  be  followed 
by  one  of  the  letters  of  the  alphabet , which  should  be  repro- 
duced beneath  the  shield  of  arms  ( Ecus  sort ) of  the  town  on 
each  work,  in  order  that  it  might  be  known  under  what  war- 
den it  was  made.  This  is  the  first  establishment  of  an 
annual  letter. 

In  England,  in  1423  (Henry  VI.),  it  was  ordained  that  the 
city  of  York,  Newcastle-upon-Tyne,  Lincoln,  Norwich,  Bris- 
tol, Salisbury,  and  Coventry  shall  have  divers  touches,  and 
further,  that  no  goldsmith  anywhere  shall  work  silver  of 
worse  alloy  than  the  sterling,  and  shall  set  his  mark  upon 
it  before  he  set  it  for  sale,  upon  the  same  penalties  as  if  in 
London. 

In  1462  Edward  IV.  not  only  confirmed  the  privileges  of 
the  London  Goldsmiths  Company,  but  constituted  them  a 
corporate  body.  Several  kings,  at  various  times,  have 
given  them  new  charters,  enlarging  and  confirming  the 
older  ones. 

In  an  ordinance  of  the  year  1507  (Henry  VII.),  it  was 
provided  that  no  goldsmith  should  put  to  sale  any  vessel  or 
other  work  of  gold  or  silver  until  he  had  set  his  mark  upon 
it ; that  he  should  take  it  to  the  assay -house  of  the  Hall  of 
the  Goldsmiths  to  be  assayed  by  the  assayer,  who  should  set 
his  mark  upon  it , and  should  deliver  it  to  the  warden,  who 
should  set  on  it  the  leopard's  head  crowned.  We  have  now 
to  add  to  the  leopard’s  head  of  1300  and  the  maker’s  mark 
of  1363  the  assayer’s  mark.  What  this  mark  was  is  by  no 
means  certain,  but  it  must  almost  necessarily  be  the  annual 
letter. 


LEGISLATION  AND  MARKS. 


15 


The  date  of  the  first  trace  of  the  English  use  of  the  alpha- 
bet is  1438,  evidently  adopted  from  the  mark  invented  by 
the  authorities  at  Montpellier  in  the  previous  year,  but  there 
is  no  positive  mention  of  such  use  till  1597,  when  the  Attor- 
ney-General filed  an  information  against  two  silversmiths 
for  the  fraudulent  use  of  “ the  marks  of  her  Majesty'1  s Lion , 
the  leopard’s  head  limited  by  statute,  and  the  alphabetical 
mark  approved  by  ordinance.”  The  mark  of  the  Lion  pas- 
sant had  been  in  use  since  1545,  but  this  is  the  first  actual 
mention  of  such  a mark.  Its  origin,  intention,  and  even 
the  precise  date  of  its  introduction  are  all  equally  obscure. 

The  four  marks  remained  unchanged  until  1696,  when  it 
was  enacted  (8  and  9 Will.  III.,  cap.  8)  that  on  and  after  March 
25,  1697,  no  worker  of  plate  should  make  any  article  of 
silver  less  in  fineness  than  eleven  ounces  ten  pennyweights 
of  fine  silver  in  every  pound  Troy,  nor  put  to  sale,  exchange 
or  sell  any  article  made  after  that  day  but  of  that  standard, 
nor  until  it  had  been  marked  with  the  marks  now  appointed 
to  distinguish  plate  of  this  new  standard.  These  marks 
were  to  be  as  follows : The  worker’s  mark  to  be  expressed 

by  the  two  first  letters  of  his  surname , the  marks  of  the  mys- 
tery or  craft  of  the  goldsmiths,  which  instead  of  the  leopard’s 
head  and  lion  were  to  be  the  figure  of  a lion's  head  erased, 
and  the  figure  of  a woman  commonly  called  Britanna , and 
a distinct  and  variable  mark  to  denote  the  year  in  which 
such  plate  was  made.  The  plate  made  at  this  period  is  often 
called  of  Britannia  Standard  to  distinguish  it. 

This  act  by  failing  to  specify  the  provincial  offices  estab- 
lished in  1423  practically  deprived  them  of  the  privilege  of 
stamping  any  plate  at  all.  The  result  of  this  was  that  until 
the  reestablishment  of  provincial  assay-offices  in  1701-2, 
no  plate  was  properly  stamped  anywhere  but  in  London, 
and  what  little  plate  was  made  in  the  provinces  was  stamped 
irregularly. 

In  the  last  year  of  the  reign  of  William  III.  assay- 
offices  were  established  at  York,  Exeter,  Bristol,  Chester, 
Norwich,  and  in  the  first  year  of  the  reign  of  Queen  Anne,  at 
N e wcastle-upon-Tyne. 

From  June  1,  1720,  the  “old  sterling”  standard  was 
restored  with  its  old  marks,  and  took  its  place  beside  the 


16 


OLD  PLATE. 


new  or  Britannia  standard,  which,  with  his  own  special 
marks,  was  left  a lawful  standard  for  such  as  preferred  it. 

In  1773  Birmingham  and  Sheffield  were  added  to  the  list 
of  provincial  assay-offices. 

The  addition  of  the  sovereign’s  head  to  the  four*  marks 
was  made  in  1784.  These  five  marks  continue  to  this  day, 
hut  the  leopard’s  head  is  without  a crown  after  1822. 

Prior  to  1660  the  date  letters  have  been  annually  changed 
on  the  day  of  the  election  of  the  new  wardens  of  the  Gold- 
smiths Company,  being  that  of  their  patron  saint  S.  Dunstan. 
Since  1660,  the  new  punches  have  been  first  used  on  the 
morning  of  May  30,  the  new  wardens  having  been  elected 
the  previous  day. 

A duty  of  sixpence  per  ounce  troy  was  first  imposed  upon 
plate  in  1720  when  the  old  standard  of  silver  was  revived. 
After  several  changes  the  duty  now  charged  is  eighteen 
pence  per  ounce  (1815),  a drawback  of  the  whole  duty  being 
allowed  upon  all  plate  exported  new. 

To  recapitulate  we  shall  find  on  plate  made  in  London  the 
following  marks  ; or  some  of  them  in  accordance  with  the 
various  ordinances  that  have  been  recounted : 

1.  The  Leopard’s  head,  from  1300. 

z.  The  Maker’s  mark,  “ 1363. 

3.  The  Annual  letter,  “ 1438. 

4.  The  Lion  passant,  “ 1545. 

5.  The  Lion’s  head  erased  and  figure  of  Britannia,  from  1697. 

6.  The  Sovereign’s  head.,  from  1784. 

Of  the  provincial  assay-offices  established  in  1701  and 
1702,  it  seems  almost  certain  that  Bristol  never  exercised 
the  power  of  assaying  plate,  and  Norwich  soon  abandoned 
the  privilege.  The  other  places  named,  and  since  1773  Bir- 
mingham and  Sheffield,  carried  out  the  provisions  of  the 
Act,  by  establishing  assay-offices,  all  of  which,  except  that 
of  York,  still  continue  in  active  operation. 

The  distinguishing  mark  of  these  offices  is  the  city  or  town 
arms.  Birmingham,  however,  has  an  anchor,  and  Sheffield 
a crown.  The  date  letters  did  not  follow  the  style  of  those 
in  use  in  London,  and,  as  in  the  case  of  Sheffield  for  the  first 


THE  IMPORTATION  OF  PLATE. 


17 


half  century,  were  often  selected  at  random.  The  standard 
and  duty  marks,  however,  were  practically  the  same. 

A total  absence  of  marks  may  seem  to  have  contravened 
various  statutes,  but  church  plate,  if  ordered  to  be  made, 
had  no  need  to  be  set  for  sale,  and,  being  inalienable,  was 
regarded  as  incapable  of  being  sold. 

As  regards  the  importation  of  plate  into  England,  although 
it  is  enacted  that  foreign  plate  shall  not  be  sold,  unless  duly 
assayed  and  marked  with  the  usual  marks,  and  in  addition 
with  the  letter  F in  an  oval  escutcheon,  it  does  not  oblige 
the  importer  to  send  such  plate  to  be  marked  at  the  time  of  its 
importation,  nor  indeed  at  any  time.  If  the  duty  of  one  shil- 
ling and  sixpence  per  ounce  is  paid  to  the  customs,  the  plate 
is  released  without  any  mark  being  placed  upon  it,  if  it  bears 
any  resemblance  to  silver ; but  if  the  owner  wishes  to  dis- 
pose of  it,  he  would  have  to  pay  the  duty  over  again  at  the 
Hall,  unless  he  can  produce  the  customs  certificate  of  pay- 
ment (this  certificate,  however,  they  may  refuse).  Moreover, 
if  sent  for  assay  and  not  up  to  the  standard,  the  silver  will 
be  broken  and  defaced,  even  though  the  duties  have  been 
paid  to  the  customs. 


CHAPTER  III 


PLATE  AND  PLATE  BUYERS. 


I an  article  appearing  in  the  “Quarterly  Re  view,” 
April,  1876,  entitled  “Plate  and  Plate  Buyers,” 
the  reader  is  taken  over  the  whole  range  of  Lon- 
don Hall  marks.  One  omission  is  made  by  the 
reviewer,  however,  in  forgetting  that  in  Her  Majesty’s 
reign,  and  since  1822,  the  leopard’s  head  is  without  a crown. 
The  following  extract  will  be  useful  to  the  novice,  and  in 
connection  with  the  information  given  previously  (Chapter 
II.)  should  enable  him  to  ascertain  with  accuracy  the  date 
of  any  piece  of  genuine  London  Hall  marked  plate. 

And  here  let  the  reader  follow  our  advice,  and  take  in  his 
hand  one  of  those  modern  fiddle-headed  spoons  which  we 
have  supposed  him  to  have  lately  acquired,  and  let  us  implore 
him  to  beware  lest  when  he  supposed  himself  to  be  buying 
silver  plate,  say  at  a mock  auction  in  the  city,  he  may  not 
really  have  been  acquiring  something  very  different.  There 
is  such  a mixture  as  German  silver,  and  we  have  known  it 
passed  off  for  real  silver,  just  as  we  have  known  silver-gilt 
plate  passed  off  as  pure  gold.  But  we  will  not  suppose  him 
to  have  been  thus  deceived.  We  will  imagine  him  to  have 
dealt  with  an  honest  tradesman,  and  to  hold  a genuine  silver 
spoon  of  the  reign  of  Queen  Victoria  in  his  hand.  If  he  is 
asked  to  look  at  the  marks,  he  will  answer  that  he  sees 
them,  indeed,  but  that  he  knows  nothing  about  them.  They 
are  Greek  to  him,  except  that  he  is  told  they  are  hall-marks, 
and  mean  that  what  he  holds  in  his  hand  is  sterling  silver. 


I 


18 


MAKER’S  MARKS. 


19 


Let  him  count  the  marks,  then,  and  he  will  find  there  are 
five.  That  is  the  first  step  in  his  instruction.  A piece  of 
plate  made  in  London  in  the  present  reign  has  five  marks : 
but  as  to  what  these  five  marks  mean  he  is  still  ignorant. 
As  it  is  easier  to  explain  one  mark  than  five,  we  will  take 
them  one  at  a time,  and  tell  him  their  signification.  He 
will,  perhaps,  he  relieved  to  learn  that  there  was  a time  when 
plate  had  not  five  marks,  but  one.  “ Take  me  hack  to  that 
time,”  he  will  say,  if  of  an  idle  turn;  “it  is  so  much  easier  to 
understand  one  mark  than  five.”  We  take  him,  then,  at  his 
word ; but  he  little  knows  what  a race  we  shall  lead  him, 
and  how  completely  he  must  put  off  the  form  and  fashion 
of  this  xix.  century.  At  one  hound  he  must  leap  back 
several  centuries ; and  here,  in  London,  at  least,  he  must 
stand,  as  it  were,  alive  before  the  year  1300,  to  find  plate 
with  one  mark,  for  after  that  year  there  were  two  marks  on 
plate  made  in  the  metropolis. 

Having  set  him  down  in  London  before  1300,  we  desire 
him  to  look  again  at  the  spoon  in  his  hand  which  he  has 
clutched  fast  all  this  time.  He  will  see  in  one  of  these 
marks  certain  initials,  w.  b.,  w„  s.,  or  something  similar. 
Having  fixed  these  in  his  memory,  we  proceed  to  tell  him 
that  the  initials  are  those  of  the  Christian  and  surname  of 
the  maker,  as  now  required  by  act  of  Parliament.  Further, 
as  every  piece  of  plate  must  have  had  a maker,  and  as  good 
workmen  were  not  ashamed  to  put  their  mark  to  their 
haudiwork,  this  is  the  oldest  of  all  the  marks,  though  it  was 
not  always  regulated,  as  it  is  now,  by  act  of  Parliament 
(since  1363),  but  more  often  consisted  of  a device  or  emblem 
than  of  the  maker’s  initials.  With  respect  to  provincial 
plate,  many  pieces  exist  long  after  1300,  which  are  stamped 
with  the  maker’s  marks  alone.  The  good  maker  was  known 
by  his  name  and  his  work  alone,  as  in  some  of  those  fine 
Irish  pieces  of  the  xvii.  century,  which  bear  a maker’s 
mark  and  the  word  “sterling”  without  further  stamp. 
Every  goldsmith  had  a punch,  with  which  he  marked  as 
his  own  with  his  peculiar  mark  the  pieces  which  came  out 
of  his  shop.  But  this  security  of  a single  mark,  and  that 
the  maker’s,  though  sufficient  in  the  simplest  and  earliest 


20 


OLD  PLATE. 


times,  was  not  enough,  when  dishonest  workmen  arose,  who 
adulterated  the  silver  and  gold  in  which  they  worked  and 
then  passed  it  out  in  the  world  as  pure.  Now  arose  the 
necessity  for  another  mark,  which,  as  was  natural,  indicated 
the  period  both  in  England  and  France  when  the  scattered 
workmen  were  gathered  into  guilds,  and  could  only  work 
according  to  regulations  laid  down  and  approved  by  the 
confraternity.  With  these  regulations  the  independence  of 
the  free  craftsman  vanished.  It  was  in  1300,  in  the  twenty- 
eighth  year  of  Edward  I.,  that  in  chap.  20  of  what  was 
called  the  articuli  super  cartas , it  was  ordained  that  no 
goldsmith,  nor  any  one  else  within  the  King’s  dominions, 
should  cause  to  he  made  any  manner  of  vessel,  jewel,  or 
any  other  thing  of  gold  and  silver,  except  it  he  of  the  true 
alloy,  that  is,  gold  of  a certain  touch  and  silver  of  a certain 
alloy,  or  of  better,  at  the  pleasure  of  him  to  whom  the  work 
belongeth ; and  that  no  manner  of  vessel  of  silver  depart 
out  of  the  hand  of  the  workers  until  it  be  assayed  by  the 
wardens  of  the  craft;  and,  further,  that  it  he  marked  with  the 
leopard's  head. 

Thus,  then,  in  1300  we  come  to  the  second  mark  on  our 
spoon,  that  leopard’s  head  which  was  set  as  the  mark  of  the 
guild  of  goldsmiths  of  London  on  gold  pieces  of  twenty-four 
carats  pure ; and  in  the  case  of  silver  in  that  metal,  as  pure  as 
“ sterling,”  which,  we  are  told,  is  derived  from  Easterling, 
that  is  to  say,  in  silver  of  purity  approved  by  the  mighty 
guild  of  the  Hanse  Towns  League,  in  the  great  cities  on  the 
shores  of  the  Baltic  or  East  Sea.  From  that  day  what  is 
called  English  sterling,  so  far  as  plate  is  concerned,  with 
one  exception,  has  remained  at  eleven  ounces  and  two 
pennyweights  of  fine  silver  in  the  pound  Troy.  But,  though 
1300  is  the  earliest  date  at  which  is  found  written  authority 
for  the  leopard’s  head  as  the  hall-mark  of  the  Goldsmiths 
Company,  it  is  probable  that  it  was  in  use  at  a still  earlier 
period,  for  in  Edward  III.’s  charter  to  the  Goldsmiths 
Company,  in  1327,  the  stamp  of  a punch  of  a leopard’s  head, 
as  of  ancient  time  it  hath  been  ordained , is  mentioned, 
where  it  has  been  well  remarked  from  an  anonymous  writer 
whom  we  now  quote,  that  if  the  mark  had  not  been  older 


THE  LEOPARD’S  HEAD. 


than  1300,  it  could  hardly  have  been  called  ancient  in  1327. 
However  that  may  be,  the  mark  was  at  first  a leopard’s 
head,  hut  in  1336,  by  the  ordinances  of  the  Goldsmiths 
Company,  it  took  its  present  shape.  It  is  there  ordered 


“that  none  do  work  gold  unless  it  be  as  good  as  the  assay  of  the  mystery, — 
meaning  the  guild, — nor  in  silver,  unless  as  good  or  better  than  the  King’s 
coins  or  sterling,  and  that  when  done  it  shall  be  brought  to  the  Hall  to  be 
assayed,  and  that  such  as  will  bear  the  touch  should  be  marked  with  the 
owner's  and  sayers’  marks , and  afterward  he  touched  with  the  leopard's 
head  crowned.” 

We  decline  here  to  enter  into  the  controversy  whence  this 
leopard’s  head  came.  Those  who  declare  that  the  animals 
on  the  shields  of  our  early  kings  were  not  lions  but  leopards, 
will  say  that  this  crowned  leopard’s  head  could  not  have 
been  devised  from  the  coat-armor  of  the  Sovereign.  Those, 
on  the  other  hand,  who  assert  that  these  beasts  were 
leopards,  will  feel  sure  that  the  mark  of  the  Goldsmiths 
Company  was  thence  derived.  The  matter  is  as  indifferent 
as  any  other  idle  question  that  can  be  raised,  but  we  think 
it  certain  that  this  second  mark  was  designed  to  give  a royal 
sanction  and  authority  to  the  pieces  stamped  with  it. 

During  this  discussion  we  have  nearly  forgotten  our 
friend,  whom  we  suppose  to  be  still  clutching  his  spoon. 
If  he  will  look  at  it  again,  he  will  not  fail  to  discover  that 
leopard’s  head  crowned,  which  for  more  than  five  centuries 
the  company  have  taken  care  to  stamp  on  every  piece  of 
silver  manufactured  within  the  metropolitan  district ; so 
that  he  is  now  in  a position  to  understand  the  meaning  of 
two  out  of  the  five  marks.  At  the  same  time,  if  he  has 
attended  to  what  we  have  written,  he  will  not  have  failed 
to  observe  that  the  ordinances  of  the  company  in  1336  # 
speak  of  a third  mark,  which  is  called  that  of  the  sayers  or 
assayers.  This,  Mr.  Chaffers  is,  no  doubt,  right  in  believ- 
ing to  be  that  alphabetical  letter  which  marks  the  year  in 
which  the  piece  which  bears  it  was  made,  and  which,  for  the 
purposes  of  this  inquiry,  is  the  most  important  of  all.  For 


* This  date  is  now  proved  to  he  erroneous.  (0.  E.  P.,  3d  ed.,  p.  52.) 


22 


OLD  PLATE. 


it  is  just  this  alphabetical  letter,  varying  with  each  year, 
and  repeated  year  after  year  in  successive  cycles  of  alpha- 
bets, that  enables  us  to  identify  a piece  of  old  English  plate 
with  absolute  certainty,  if  we  are  only  sure  of  the  relation 
which  the  cycle  in  which  it  occurs  hears  to  those  which  pre- 
cede and  follow  it.  In  order  that  the  reader  may  understand 
this,  we  must  enter  a little  more  into  detail.  These  cycles 
consist  invariably  of  twenty  letters  of  the  alphabet,  repeated 
from  A to  U or  V inclusive,  but  always  omitting  I,  W,  X, 
Y,  and  Z. 

Here  the  explanation  of  the  anonymous  writer  which  we 
have  already  quoted  is  so  clear  that  we  do  not  scruple 
to  repeat  it.  The  question  arises,  he  says,  as  to  what 
happens  when  the  twenty  letters  of  any  given  alphabet  are 
exhausted.  The  answer  is,  that  the  fashion  of  the  alpha- 
bet is  changed,  but  the  letters  in  each  alphabet  run  on  from 
year  to  year  in  the  same  order.  And  now  let  us  trace 
down  each  successive  cycle  of  alphabets,  beginning  with 
the  earliest  which  has  been  as  yet  identified.  The  first  is 
in  the  Lombardic  character,  which  contains  that  famous 
spoon  of  Henry  VI.,  stamped  with  H,  so  that  the  A would 
fall  in  1438-9,  and  the  V in  1457-8.*  But,  though  this  is 
the  earliest  alphabet  known,  there  can  be  little  doubt  that 
all  London-made  plate  had  long  been  stamped  with  an 
alphabetical  letter,  varying  in  each  year,  as  the  sayer’s  mark, 
and  that  it  is  only  because  early  English  plate  is  so  scarce 
that  we  are  unable  to  identify  those  letters  in  regular  cycles. 
Between  1458  and  1477-8  the  character  of  the  date-letter  is 
unknown.  In  the  third  cycle,  which  began  in  1478,  we  have 
another  Lombardic  character,  in  which  several  letters  have 
been  identified  — the  first  on  the  Anathema  Cup  of  Cardinal 
Langton,  dated  1481.  The  fourth  cycle  begins  in  1498-9, 
with  a small  black-letter  series,  in  which  nine  or  ten  pieces 
have  been  identified.  It  is  rich  in  the  pieces  which  are  the 
glory  of  Corpus.  The  fifth  cycle  is  occupied  with  another 
Lombardic  series,  and  in  this  thirteen  date-letters  have  been 
identified  on  as  many  pieces  of  plate.  Those  were  the 
palmy  days  of  Henry  VIII.,  when  piles  of  church-plate  were 


See  chapter  on  spoons. 


THE  DATE  LETTER 


23 


melted  and  a great  store  of  domestic  plate  manufactured. 
In  the  sixth  cycle,  beginning  with  1538  and  closing  with 
1558,  we  are  in  the  last  days  of  Henry  VIII.  and  in  the  two 
reigns  of  Edward  VI.  and  Mary.  In  this  less  plate  was 
probably  made,  for  reasons  already  named;  at  any  rate, 
fewer  pieces  have  been  identified.  In  this  alphabet  we  find 
for  the  first  time  a cycle  of  Roman  capitals.  To  this  suc- 
ceeds, with  the  first  year  of  the  glorious  reign  of  Queen 
Elizabeth,  the  seventh  cycle,  in  small  black-letter  charac- 
ters. When  these  are  run  out,  in  1577-8,  the  eighth  cycle 
begins  with  another  series  of  Roman  capitals,  in  which  the 
letters,  instead  of  being  stamped  singly  on  the  silver,  are 
inclosed  within  a shield ; but  though  we  are  ready  to  admit 
that  this  neatness  of  stamping  very  often  occurs,  we  cannot 
accept  it  as  an  invariable  rule.  To  this  large  Roman  alpha- 
bet succeeds,  in  1598-9,  the  ninth  cycle,  in  Lombardic 
letters  ; and,  lest  the  frequency  with  which  those  characters 
recur  in  these  earlier  cycles  should  confuse  either  the  reader 
or  the  buyer,  we  may  inform  them  that,  with  other  differ- 
ences which  preclude  ail  possibility  of  mistake,  this  Lom- 
bardic cycle  has  cusps  on  the  outside  of  the  letters,  while 
that  beginning  in  1518-9  is  cusped  on  the  inside ; that  in 
1478-9  is  cusped  both  on  the  inside  and  out,  and  that  of 
1438-9,  the  earliest  of  all,  has  no  cusps  either  inside  or  out. 
Continuing  our  cycles  — in  the  last  years  of  James  I.  the 
tenth  began  in  small  italics,  which  was  followed  in  1438-9 
by  one  of  those  alphabets  which  are  the  crux  of  collectors. 
This  was  a cycle  of  what  is  called  court-hand,  but  which 
was  in  reality  the  old  hand  employed  by  law-writers  in  the 
xvi.  and  xvn.  centuries.  We  quite  agree  with  the  writer 
who  said  of  this  cycle  that  a more  crabbed  character,  and 
one  less  like  a respectable  alphabet,  it  is  impossible  to  con- 
ceive. If  it  had  only  been  used  once  it  would  not  have 
mattered  much,  for  we  are  now  in  the  evil  days  of  the 
Great  Rebellion  and  the  Commonwealth,  when  much  more 
plate  went  to  the  melting-pot  in  the  cause  of  the  King  or  of 
his  adversaries  than  was  made  to  replace  the  loss.  It  unfor- 
tunately, however,  happens  that  after  two  more  cycles  — 
one  of  black-letter  capitals  beginning  in  1658,  and  another 


24 


OLD  PLATE. 


of  small  black-letters  beginning  in  1678,  and  ending  abruptly 
with  t in  1696  — we  find  this  crabbed  court-hand  repeated 
in  another  cycle  from  1697  to  1715-6,  and  with  it  many  of 
the  finest  pieces  — made  when  the  manufacture  of  plate  in 
England  revived  in  the  reign  of  Anne  — were  stamped.  To 
the  true  collector,  however,  no  cycle  of  letters  need  be 
formidable ; and  a little  insight  into  plate-marks  will  make 
the  difference  between  these  two  cycles  of  court-hand  as 
plain,  to  use  the  words  of  a plain-spoken  dealer,  as  the 
nose  on  your  face.  The  first  two  years  of  George  I.  saw  the 
last  of  these  hieroglyphics,  as  they  are  sometimes  called ; 
and  to  them  succeeds  a welcome  cycle  of  Roman  capitals, 
beginning  in  1716,  and  followed  in  1736-7  by  a small  Roman 
cycle.  In  1756  came  a cycle  of  black-letter  capitals.  Take 
courage,  reader,  for  we  are  near  the  end.  Then,  in  1776-7, 
began  another  cycle  of  small  Roman  letters ; then,  in  1796-7, 
Roman  capitals  again;  then,  in  1816,  small  Roman.  In 
1836-7  a cycle  of  black-letter  capitals  marks  the  beginning 
of  the  reign  of  Queen  Victoria,  under  whom  the  cycle  has 
not  only  been  run  out,  but  we,  in  this  year  of  grace,  1875-6, 
have  just  got  to  the  tt  in  a cycle  of  small  black-letters.  The 
30th  of  next  May  will  see  the  beginning  of  a new  cycle. 

We  have  thus  galloped  our  reader  through  these  succes- 
sive cycles,  twenty-two  in  all ; but  let  him  not  forget  that 
up  to  this  time  he  has  only  three  of  the  five  marks  on  his 
spoon  accounted  for : 1,  the  maker’s  mark ; 2,  the  mark  of 
the  Goldsmiths  Company,  the  leopard’s  head  crowned ; 3, 
the  sayer’s  mark,  or  the  date-letter,  which  marks  the  year 
and  identifies  the  precise  period  at  which  the  piece  was 
made.  We  ran  him  at  such  a rate  through  these  alphabets 
that  we  had  no  time  to  point  out  that  about  the  last  year  of 
Henry  VIII.  the  fourth  mark  on  his  spoon  is  first  found. 
This  is  that  lion  passant  which  is,  perhaps,  the  plainest 
mark  of  all  on  any  piece.  The  origin  of  this  mark  is  rather 
mysterious.  We  first  hear  of  it  in  the  year  1597,  when  the 
minutes  of  the  Goldsmiths  Company  speak  of  it  as  “Her 
Majesty’s  Lion,”  by  which  they  can  only  mean  it  was  in  some 
way  connected  with  the  action  of  the  Crown.  But,  before 
becoming  Queen  Elizabeth’s  lion,  it  had  been  that  of  her  sis- 


THE  LIOH  PASSANT. 


25 


ter  Mary,  of  her  brother  Edward,  and  also  of  her  stern  father. 
According  to  Mr.  Chaffers,  the  first  piece  on  which  this  lion 
passant  occurs  is  dated  in  1545.  It  is  a spoon  with  a lion 
sejant  at  the  end  of  the  stem,  and,  as  is  invariable  in  early 
spoons,  it  has  the  leopard’s  head  crowned  stamped  in  the 
howl ; no  doubt  because,  in  early  days,  the  howl  and  shank 
were  made  separately,  and  to  avoid  fraud  it  was  necessary 
that  both  parts  should  hear  the  marks  of  the  Goldsmiths 
Company.  But  though  this  is  the  earliest  piece  known  with 
the  lion  passant,  it  by  no  means  follows  that  still  earlier 
examples  may  not  be  discovered,  and  we  very  much  wish 
that  some  of  those  laborious  gentlemen  who  are  engaged  in 
calendaring  the  State  Papers  may  fall  in  the  course  of  their 
researches  on  some  Order  in  Council,  or  Gracious  Proclama- 
tion, enjoining  the  addition  of  this  royal  lion  — for  it  at 
least  came  out  of  the  coat-armor  of  the  sovereigns  to  the 
three  marks  already  rendered  imperative  by  statute.  And 
here  let  us  observe  how  useful  this  additional  mark  is  to  the 
collector.  It  has  been,  unfortunately,  our  lot  to  see  many 
forged  pieces  of  plate ; if,  therefore,  a choice  piece  is  pre- 
sented to  an  unwary  purchaser,  bearing  four  marks  before 
the  year  named,  let  him  scan  it  not  twice,  but  twenty  times, 
for  it  will  almost  to  a certainty  prove  to  be  a forgery.  The 
reader  has  now  four  of  his  five  marks  explained.  He  will 
find  that  these  four  marks  will  carry  him  down  for  more  than 
two  centuries.  It  was  not  till  the  twenty-fourth  year  of  the 
reign  of  George  III.,  in  1784,  that  the  fifth  mark  was  added 
in  order  to  mark  the  imposition  of  a duty  of  sixpence  in  the 
ounce  on  all  silver  plate,  a duty  which  in  1815  was  raised  to 
eighteen-pence,  at  which  it  now  stands.  If  the  reader  will 
now  look  backwards  on  the  information  as  to  hall-marks 
which  we  have  afforded  him,  he  will  find  that  all  plate  bear- 
ing the  London  mark  with  five  marks  must  be  modern ; that 
is,  less  than  one  hundred  years  old.  There  are  undoubtedly 
some  fine  pieces  of  modern  make ; for  instance,  the  magnifi- 
cent silver  cisterns  presented  by  the  British  Government 
to  the  arbitrators  who  settled  the  American  difficulty 
at  Geneva.  These  were  made  by  Messrs.  Garrard,  the 
royal  goldsmiths,  and  will  stand  comparison  with  those 


26 


OLD  PLATE. 


splendid  cisterns  of  the  reign  of  Qneen  Anne,  of  which  the 
late  Lord  Chesterfield,  the  Earl  of  Jersey,  the  late  Lord 
Hastings,  and  the  Marquis  of  Exeter  are,  or  were,  the  fortu- 
nate possessors.  That  belonging  to  Lord  Jersey  is  especially 
interesting,  though  it  by  no  means  is  the  largest,  as  being 
the  manufacture  of  Child,  the  goldsmith  of  Charles  II.’s 
reign,  and  founder  of  the  bank  which  still  flourishes  under 
his  name.  But,  as  a general  rule,  plate  made  since  1784  is 
poor  in  design  and  unworthy  of  the  notice  of  a true  col- 
lector. 

Carrying  on  our  retrospect  from  1784  up  to  the  days  of 
Queen  Anne,  we  come  to  what  may  be  called  the  paradise 
of  plate-buyers.  As  we  approach  the  year  1700,  plate,  and 
especially  plain,  solid,  old  English  plate,  is  more  and  more 
abundant.  Every  one  who  has  the  fancy  may  have  a chance 
of  acquiring  a two-handled  cup,  a pair  of  candlesticks,  or, 
at  least,  a dozen  of  rat-tailed  spoons,  as  they  are  called, 
because  of  the  stripe  which  runs  down  the  back  of  the  bowl, 
another  relic  of  the  time  when  the  bowl  and  shank  of  the 
spoon  were  made  in  separate  pieces.  There  are,  we  should 
say,  tons  of  this  plate  in  the  country,  and  it  ought  to  be 
much  more  moderate  in  price  than  it  is,  if  abundance  of  an 
object  affords  any  measure  of  its  value.  Where,  however, 
there  are  anxious  buyers  there  will  always  be  exorbitant 
sellers,  and  here,  as  elsewhere,  the  price  of  a thing  is  what 
it  will  fetch.  The  days  are  long  past  when,  as  at  the  Stowe 
sale,  in  what  may  be  called  the  dark  age  of  plate-buying, 
rat-tailed  spoons  could  be  bought  at  the  melting-price,  or  a 
little  above  it,  and  when  magnificent  plateaux  were  actually 
melted  for  want  of  a buyer.  Two,  three,  and  four  guineas 
an  ounce  are  now  readily  given  for  fine  spoons  of  that  pe- 
riod; and  as  for  more  important  pieces,  we  cannot  mark 
the  recent  rise  in  their  value  better  than  by  stating  that  a 
belted  cup,  bought  a very  few  years  back  for  £30  at  the 
Hasting’s  sale,  realized  no  less  a sum  than  £167,  when  a 
celebrated  collection  was  dispersed  last  summer  at  Christie’s. 
The  explanation  of  this  rise  is  to  be  found  in  two  facts : 
one,  that  Queen  Anne  plate  is  now  the  rage  ; the  other,  that 
the  forgers,  who  have  been  at  work  at  the  earlier  cycles, 


THE  BRITANNIA  STANDARD. 


27 


have  as  yet  hardly  tried  their  cunning  on  plate  of  Queen 
Anne’s  time.  We  say  hardly,  because  we  have  recently 
seen  some  very  suspicions  pieces  of  that  date.  But  up  to 
the  present  time  buyers  have  spent  their  money  freely,  in 
the  belief  that  all  plate  which  professed  to  be  of  the  reign  of 
that  Queen  was  genuine,  and  so  their  comfort  would  have 
been  complete  were  there  not  occasionally  something  awk- 
ward and  unforeseen  in  the  marks  which  interfered  with 
their  content.  What  this  something  is  we  will  now  explain, 
and  we  only  wish  that  all  the  dark  passages  connected  with 
plate-marks  were  capable  of  as  satisfactory  a solution.  It 
will  be  remembered  that  we  have  laid  it  down  as  a rule  that 
all  pieces  of  plate  made  after  the  year  1545  should  have  the 
lion  passant  on  them.  A rule,  however,  that  is  without  an 
exception  is  scarcely  a rule.  It  is  like  a sum  without  a proof. 
We  will  suppose  a collector  of  Queen  Anne  plate,  bearing 
this  rule  in  his  head,  to  fall  on  a piece  of  plate  in  which  the 
date-letter  is  in  the  second  cycle  of  that  court-hand  which 
we  have  mentioned,  and  which  has  a maker’s  mark,  but  on 
which  the  two  remaining  marks  are  quite  different.  One  of 
these,  if  the  stamps  are  pretty  plain,  and  not  rubbed  off  by 
generations  of  laborious  butlers,  he  may  discover  to  be  the 
figure  of  Britannia  with  her  shield  and  trident ; the  other,  if 
he  be  ever  so  little  of  a herald,  he  will  describe  ks  a lion’s  head 
erased,  that  is,  not  as  Mr.  Chaffers  calls  it,  separate,  or 
without  the  body,  but  torn  roughly  off  with  a jagged  edge, 
in  contradistinction  to  coupee.  The  questions  which  will 
arise  in  his  mind  will  be,  What  do  these  marks  mean  ? 
and  is  the  piece  genuine?  We  proceed  to  ease  his  mind 
by  informing  him  that  the  piece  is  not  only  genuine,  but  of 
better  silver  than  in  the  ordinary  standard ; and  as  for  the 
meaning  of  the  marks,  they  denote  an  alteration  in  the 
standard  made  in  the  reign  of  William  and  Mary.  The  fol- 
lowing is  the  account  of  the  way  in  which  these  marks  arose, 
as  given  by  the  anonymous  writer  whom  we  have  already 
quoted:  In  early  times  in  England  there  has  been  a great 
tendency  in  the  wealthier  classes  to  invest  or  hoard  their 
savings  in  the  form  of  plate.  It  was  something  like  that 
feeling  which  induces  the  small  Indian  capitalist  to  carry  all 


28 


OLD  PLATE. 


his  worldly  goods  about  with  him  in  gold  bangles  or  anklets. 
A plate-collector  has  only  to  read  the  list  of  plate  left  behind 
them  before  the  Wars  of  the  Roses  by  Englishmen  of  every 
position,  to  he  filled  with  despair  that  such  a vast  amount  of 
costly  property  should  have  been  melted  down.  No  doubt 
almost  all  these  accumulated  hoards  vanished  in  the  troubles 
of  the  xv.  century.  But  no  sooner  were  peace  and  security 
established  under  Henry  VII.  and  his  successor  than  we 
find  the  same  spirit  as  lively  as  ever.  The  wardrobe 
accounts  of  the  Tudor  sovereigns,  and  the  wills  of  their 
subjects,  sufficiently  attest  the  amount  of  silver  and  gold 
annually  devoted  from  the  mint  and  the  bullion  market 
to  be  manufactured  into  plate.  So  it  went  on  till  the  bad 
times  and  the  hard  times  of  the  great  Civil  War  came. 
It  is  matter  of  history  how  much  plate  was  melted  on 
either  side.  Here  went  almost  all  the  College  plate  at  our 
two  Universities  into  his  Most  Sacred  Majesty’s  mint  at 
Oxford ; and  here,  on  the  other  hand,  the  sideboards  of  the 
great  city  companies,  and  the  cupboards  of  well-to-do 
citizens  of  London  and  other  great  towns,  were  swept  clean 
to  find  the  sinews  of  war  for  the  Parliament  and  Common- 
wealth. Here  and  there  a Founder’s  cups  and  spoons  at 
Oxford  and  Cambridge  were  spared ; but,  as  a general  rule, 
between  1638  and  1648  the  bulk  of  the  plate  of  the  country 
went  to  the  melting-pot.  But  at  the  Restoration,  when  the 
king  got  his  own  again,  and  Charles  II.  led  his  merry  life 
in  the  Great  Gallery  at  Whitehall,  the  goldsmiths  and  silver- 
smiths had  again  a good  time  of  it.  Plate  was  manufac- 
tured in  great  quantities,  and  bullion  took  that  shape  rather 
than  the  stamp  of  money.  So  it  went  on  till  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  of  that  troublous  time  one  might  parody  the  well- 
known  lines  and  say : 

Woe  to  the  land,  to  panic  fears  a prey, 

Where  plate  accumulates  and  coins  decay. 

So  it  was  when  Dutch  William  came  to  the  throne,  there 
was  great  lack  of  bullion  for  the  mint,  and  he  and  his 
advisers  were  at  their  wits’  end  what  to  do.  At  last  they 
devised  a plan,  and  we  find  it  embodied  in  a statute  of  the 


TEE  BRITANNIA  STANDARD. 


29 


8th  and  9th  of  William  and  Mary,  ch.  8,  sec.  1,  by  which  it 
was  enacted,  that  any  persons  who  shall  bring  any  sort  of 
wrought  plate  between  the  1st  of  January,  1696,  and  the 
4th  of  March,  1697,  into  any  of  his  Majesty’s  mints  shall  be 
paid  five  shillings  and  fourpence  an  ounce  for  the  same; 
and  then  the  section  proceeds  to  say  that  all  London  hall- 
marked plate  should  be  taken  as  sterling  without  waiting 
for  a fresh  assay.  Of  course,  as  five  shillings  and  fourpence 
an  ounce  was  much  above  the  market  price  of  silver  bullion, 
King  William  and  his  advisers  reckoned  that  vast  quantities 
of  plate  would  be  brought  into  the  mint ; and  this  proved 
to  be  the  case.  Of  all  the  destroyers  of  old  English  plate, 
none  in  his  generation  was  greater  than  William  III.  Those 
months  between  January,  1696,  and  November,  1697,  were 
fatal  to  many  a noble  piece  of  Caroline  plate.  But  how  did 
all  this  affect  the  standard  of  English  plate  ? For  a very  plain 
and  sufficient  reason.  Having  got  the  plate  of  the  country 
converted  into  coin.  King  William’s  object  was  to  keep  it 
in  that  shape.  He  did  not  wish  his  coins  to  be  melted  into 
plate,  as  had  been  the  tendency  of  all  times  before  his  own. 
But  how  was  this  to  be  prevented  | By  a very  simple  expe- 
dient. Sec.  9 of  the  same  ch.  8 declares,  “And  whereas  it 
might  reasonably  be  suspected  that  part  of  the  silver  coins 
of  the  realm  had  been,  by  persons  regarding  their  private 
gain  more  than  the  public  good,  molten  and  converted  into 
vessels  of  silver  or  other  manufactured  plate,  which  crime 
had  been  the  more  easily  perpetrated  by  them,  in  regard 
the  goldsmiths  and  other  makers  of  plate  by  the  former 
laws  and  statutes  of  the  realm  were  not  obliged  to  make 
their  plate  finer  than  the  sterling  or  standard  ordained  for 
the  moneys  of  the  realm  ” — and  then  enacts  that  from  and 
after  the  25th  of  March,  1697,  no  silver  plate  should  be 
made  of  less  fineness  than  that  of  eleven  ounces,  ten  penny- 
weights of  fine  silver  in  every  pound  Troy,  the  old  standard 
having  been  eleven  ounces,  two  pennyweights,  and  no  piece 
of  plate  was  to  be  put  to  sale  until  such  time  as  it  had  been 
duly  stamped  with  the  marks  of  the  new  standard,  those 
marks  being,  for  the  maker’s  mark,  the  two  first  letters  of 
his  surname,  and  for  the  marks  of  the  mystery  or  craft  of 


30 


OLD  PLATE. 


goldsmiths,  instead  of  the  leopard’s  head  and  the  lion,  the 
figure  of  a woman,  commonly  called  Britannia,  and  the 
figure  of  a lion’s  head  erased.  Of  course,  as  the  standard 
for  silver  plate  was  so  much  higher  than  that  for  coin,  it 
was  not  possible  to  melt  coin  at  once  into  plate,  and  so  the 
king’s  object  was  gained.  Thus  far  the  anonymous  writer, 
to  whose  explanation  we  would  add  the  remark,  that  though 
it  was  not  possible  to  melt  coin  into  plate  without  an  addi- 
tional alloy  of  fine  silver,  and  thus  the  statute  might  have 
had  some  deterring  effect  on  goldsmiths  bold  enough  to 
commit  the  crime  in  question,  it  could  not  prevent  coin 
being  melted  with  a view  of  turning  it  into  plate  by  such  a 
mixture  as  that  to  which  we  have  alluded.  But  whether  it 
had  this  effect  or  not,  the  statute  remained  in  force  till 
1719,  when,  by  an  act  of  the  sixth  of  George  I.,  the  old 
standard  was  restored,  though  the  new  standard  was  not 
abolished ; so  that  since  1739  there  have  been  two  standards 
for  silver  plate — the  old  of  eleven  ounces,  two  pennyweights; 
and  the  new,  or  Britannia  standard,  of  eleven  ounces,  ten 
pennyweights  in  the  pound  Troy,  though,  as  might  have 
been  supposed,  little  plate  has  been  manufactured  of  the 
new  standard  since  the  act  of  William  was  altered. 

The  reader  is  now  in  possession  of  all  the  information 
which  we  are  able  to  afford  him  as  to  his  five  marks,  and 
especially  with  regard  to  the  new  standard.  Let  him  not 
be  afraid  to  purchase  a fine  bit  of  Queen  Anne  plate,  if  he 
hears  it  is  only  Britannia,  as  though  it  were  of  base 
Birmingham  manufacture,  for  it  is  in  reality  eight  penny- 
weights in  the  ounce  purer  silver  than  pieces  wrought  in 
the  ordinary  standard.  Nor  let  us  forget  to  call  to  his 
attention  that  a great  alteration  was  made  by  King  Will- 
iam’s act  in  the  maker’s  mark.  Before  that  statute  the 
maker  enjoyed  perfect  freedom  in  this  respect.  He  might 
put  his  initials  fancifully  interlaced,  or  in  monogram ; or  he 
might  choose,  as  was  common  in  earlier  times,  some  em- 
blem— a rose,  a crown,  a star;  all  that  the  Goldsmiths 
Company  required  was  that  every  maker  should  have  his 
own  proper  mark,  known  to  the  wardens  or  to  the  surveyor 
of  the  Company.  How  graceful  many  of  those  marks  were 


SUMMARY  OF  MARKS. 


31 


may  be  seen  by  the  table  of  marks  stamped  on  a copper 
plate  still  preserved  in  Goldsmiths  Hall,  and  which  we 
imagine  to  be  those  which  the  Government  recognized 
between  the  burning  of  their  hall,  in  1666,  and  the  year 
1697.  Before  the  Great  Fire,  earlier  plates  of  makers’  marks 
no  doubt  existed. 

With  the  act  of  William  what  may  be  called  the  poetry 
of  the  maker’s  marks  perished.  Little  could  be  made  out 
of  the  first  and  second  letters  of  a maker’s  surname.  Besides, 
if,  as  likely,  there  were  many  makers  at  once  rejoicing  in  the 
names  of  Smith,  or  Williams,  or  Jones,  or  Brown,  how  could 
their  marks  be  distinguished  ? Nor  is  the  existing  arrange- 
ment much  better.  By  the  12th  of  George  II.,  in  1739,  the 
maker’s  mark  has  been  declared  to  be  the  initials  of  his  Chris- 
tian and  surname;  so  if  two  John  Smiths  or  two  John 
Joneses  make  plate,  their  mark  will  be  precisely  the  same. 

We  iio w sum  up  this  part  of  our  inquiry.  From  the 
present  day  up  to  1784,  all  English  plate,  whether  of  the 
new  or  old  standard,  bears,  or  has  borne,  five  marks  — the 
sovereign’s  head,  the  lion  passant,  the  date-letter,  the  leop- 
ard’s head  crowned,  and  the  maker’s  mark  ; but  in  the  case 
of  the  new  standard,  the  lion  passant  and  the  leopard’s  head 
crowned  give  place  to  the  figure  of  Britannia  and  the  lion’s 
head  erased.  Before  1784  the  marks  are  four  in  number, 
and  since  the  year  1719  there  have  been  two  standards  for 
silver  plate,  the  old  and  the  new,  which  new  standard  was 
obligatory  for  all  pieces  made  between  1696  and  1719.  In 
1739  the  maker’s  mark  was  fixed  at  the  initials  of  his  Chris- 
tian and  surname,  and  in  1696  at  the  two  first  letters  of  his 
surname.  Before  that  date  the  maker  was  free  to  choose 
his  own  mark ; and,  in  passing,  we  may  observe,  that  in 
those  days  of  freedom  he  never  exhibited  the  gross  want  of 
taste  so  remarkably  displayed  in  the  selection  of  modern 
trade-marks.  Between  1696  and  1545  there  were  still  four 
marks,  the  various  cycles  of  alphabets  succeeding  each 
other  at  intervals  of  twenty  years,  except  that  the  cycle 
which  terminates  abruptly  in  1696  is  shorn  of  its  last  letter. 
About  1545  the  lion  passant  first  appears.  Before  its 
appearance  the  marks  were  three,  and  this  probably  has 


32 


OLE  PLATE. 


been  their  number  ever  since  the  year  1336,  when  the 
sayer’s  mark,  which  we  take  to  be  the  annual  letter,  was 
first  introduced.  In  1300  we  first  hear  of  the  leopard’s  head, 
which  in  1336  is  mentioned  as  crowned.  Before  1300,  and 
back  to  an  indefinite  period,  the  good  and  honest  maker  put 
his  own  mark  on  his  wares. 

It  is,  we  imagine,  hopeless  to  identify,  except  as  undoubt- 
edly English,  the  many  pieces,  spoons  especially,  which  are 
stamped  only  with  a maker’s  mark.  All  over  the  country,  as 
we  have  already  pointed  out,  there  were  silversmiths  who, 
not  being  bound  by  the  acts  which  affected  the  metropolis, 
honestly  made  their  wares  and  stamped  them  with  their  own 
mark.  These  the  dealers  often  call  foreign,  though  their 
English  character  stares  one  in  the  face. 


I 

CHAPTER  IV 


SCOTLAND  — IRELAND  — PRANCE  — GERMANY — HOLLAND  — SPAIN  — RUSSIA — 

AMERICA. 


N Scotland  attention  was  paid  at  an  early  period 
to  the  fineness  of  wrought  gold  and  silver,  and 
steps  were  taken  by  the  Legislature  in  the  reign 
of  James  II.  (1457)  to  prevent  frauds  in  the 
working  of  those  metals.  The  goldsmiths  of  Edinburgh 
had  their  privileges  confirmed,  and  were  duly  incorporated 
by  James  VII.  in  1687,  who  extended  their  powers  over  the 
whole  kingdom. 

It  seems  clear  that  at  this  time  hut  little  plate,  and  hence- 
forward none  at  all,  was  assayed  except  in  Edinburgh,  until 
the  establishment  of  the  office  at  Glasgow  in  the  present 
century.  In  earlier  times  several  towns  used  marks  in 
compliance  with  the  early  acts  of  Parliament,  but  few 
instances  of  plate  bearing  them  are  now  to  be  found.  The 
earliest  marks  were  the  maker’s  and  deacon’s  punches  only, 
— the  deacon  answering  to  the  warden  of  the  London  gold- 
smiths,— to  which  the  mark  of  the  town  is  added  in  1457. 
The  variable  date-letter  was  adopted  in  1681.  It  has  been 
changed  regularly  ever  since  on  the  first  hall-day  in  October. 
We  have  now  enumerated  four  of  the  marks  to  be  found  on 
plate  assayed  in  Edinburgh, — the  maker’s,  the  deacon’s,  the 
town-mark  (a  castle),  and  the  date-letter.  Two  others  have 
to  be  mentioned,  one  an  alteration  and  the  other  an  addition. 
In  1759,  the  deacon’s  mark  was  abolished,  the  standard 


3 


33 


34 


OLD  PLATE. 


mark  of  a thistle  "being  substituted  for  it,  and  in  1784,  as  in 
England,  the  sovereign’s  head  was  ordained  as  a duty- mark. 

Of  the  several  towns  which  used  marks  in  earlier  times, 
we  have  a very  imperfect  knowledge. 

Glasgow,  Aberdeen,  Dundee,  Inverness,  Perth,  St.  An- 
drews, and  others  of  less  note,  either  used  as  a town-mark 
their  arms  or  a contraction  of  their  name. 

The  assay-office  of  Glasgow  was  established  in  1819. 

The  Goldsmiths  Company  of  Dublin,  incorporated  by  a 
charter  from  Charles  I.,  dated  1638,  has  the  entire  regulation 
of  the  trade  in  Ireland. 

The  marks  used  were  the  harp  crowned,  a date-letter,  and 
the  maker’s  initials.  To  these  were  added,  in  1730,  the  figure 
of  Hibernia,  and  in  1807  the  sovereign’s  head. 

No  silver  of  the  Britannia  or  higher  standard  was  ever 
made.  A company  of  goldsmiths  existed  also  at  Cork,  and 
regularly  elected  its  master  and  wardens  each  year,  at  all 
events  from  the  middle  of  the  xvn.  century  for  some  seventy- 
five  years.  The  Cork  goldsmiths  marked  their  plate  with  a 
galleon  and  a castle  with  a flag-staff;  on  separate  stamps,  but 
they  did  not  use  a date-letter.  Plate  thus  marked  toward 
the  end  of  the  xvn.  century  is  found  in  and  near  the  city 
of  Cork.  It  is  also  found  with  the  maker’s  initials,  and  the 
stamp  steeling  sometimes  in  two  lines : jAl 

In  1783  a colony  of  foreign  Protestants  was  established  in 
a village  near  Waterford.  Many  Swiss  were  among  them, 
especially  Genevese,  from  whom  the  village  was  called  New 
Geneva.  They  exercised  various  trades,  especially  working 
in  silver  and  jewelry.  An  assay-office  was  established  with 
particular  marks,  but  after  a few  years  the  settlement  was 
abandoned,  and  the  Genevese  quitted  the  country.  It  is 
therefore  probable  that  few,  if  any,  articles  were  assayed  or 
marked  there. 

EUKOPE. 

*“  After  the  simple  and  uniform  methods  of  stamping  plate  adopted  in 
England  by  the  use  of  the  lion  passant  from  the  arms  of  England,  appro- 
priately denoting  the  standard,  etc.,  the  leopard's  head  taken  from  the  arms 

* “Mall-marks  on  Plate.”  W.  Chaffers. 


FRANCE. 


35 


of  the  Goldsmiths  Company  denoting  the  assay,  with  the  alphabetical  cycles 
enabling  us  to  determine  the  exact  date  of  manufacture,  and  later,  the  head 
of  the  sovereign  attesting  payment  6f  the  duty;  we  are  astonished  and 
perplexed  at  the  complicated  and  apparently  incongruous  methods  adopted 
on  the  Continent  by  the  employment  of  punches  of  animals,  birds,  classical 
heads,  fabulous  animals,  and  copies  from  Greek  coins,  which  would  baffle 
all  the  attempts  of  a sphinx  to  guess  at  their  meaning;  and  which,  moreover, 
appear  to  undergo  a change  every  twenty  or  thirty  years ; new  designs  from 
heathen  mythology  being  substituted  to  represent  the  various  standards; 
in  fact,  it  appears  to  have  been  the  aim  of  the  projectors  of  the  laws  to  keep 
the  secret  of  time  and  place  entirely  within  the  knowledge  of  the  officials 
alone ; hieroglyphics  of  the  assay-offices  and  the  wardens  were  inserted  that 
fraudulent  imitations  of  the  marks  might  be  more  easily  detected  by  them. 
This  is  especially  the  case  in  France.” 

Here,  as  we  have  already  stated,  a system  of  stamping- 
gold  and  silver  wares  was  adopted  as  early  as  the  xm. 
century,  but,  from  the  destruction  of  records  in  troublous 
times,  the  means  of  ascertaining  the  date  of  manufacture  is 
not  so  easily  determined  as  in  England. 

Prior  to  1791,  the  marks  that  will  be  found  on  plate  made 
in  Paris  are  as  follows : 

1.  The  punch  of  the  common-hall  (poingon  de  maison  com- 
mune) from  1275-1791. 

2.  The  maker’s  mark  (poingon  du  rnaitre ) from  very  early 

times. 

3.  The  mark  of  the  farmer  of  the  duties  (poingon  de  charge ) 
from  1672-1791. 

4.  A second  duty  mark  ( poingon  de  decharge)  from  1681- 

1791. 

1.  The  punch  of  the  common-hall  was  in  early  times  the 
fleur-de-lis ; afterward,  say  from  1461-1783,  it  was  a letter 
of  the  alphabet  crowned.  This  was  probably  at  first  added 
to  the  fleur-de-lis  rather  than  substituted  for  it.  It  was  not, 
however,  until  the  year  1672  that  the  addition  of  the  mark 
of  the  farmer  of  the  duty  enables  us  to  identify  with  cer- 
tainty the  year  signified  by  any  particular  alphabetical 
letter. 

From  1784  the  letter  P crowned  was  substituted  for  the 
alphabetical  letter  as  the  Paris  mark,  the  punch  at  first 


36 


OLD  PLATE. 


bearing  the  last  two  figures  of  the  date  ( e.  g.,  87  for  1787) 
between  the  crown  and  the  letter,  the  shape  of  which  varied 
each  year. 

2.  The  maker’s  mark  was  no  donbt  used  long  before  it  is 
actually  mentioned  or  prescribed  by  any  statute. 

In  the  xiv.  century  it  was  a punch  with  a countersign, 
which  consisted  of  some  small  emblem  or  device,  with  a 
fleur-de-lis  or  a crown,  or  both.  To  this  was  afterward 
added,  it  is  said  in  1493,  the  two  small  points  or  dots  which 
are  commonly  observed  in  the  marks  of  French  goldsmiths. 
By  1506  the  maker  had  added  the  initials  of  his  name. 

3.  The  marks  of  the  farmer  of  the  duty  were  adopted  on 
the  imposition  of  a plate  duty  in  1672.  It  was  the  mint- 
letter  of  the  town,  under  a fleur-de-lis  or  crown,  and  for 
Paris  was  the  letter  A. 

A new  design  for  the  letter  was  adopted  by  each  succes- 
sive tenant  of  the  post.  Mr.  Cripps  (Old  French  Plate) 
gives  a list  of  twenty-two  Paris  farmers  general  of  the 
duties  and  their  marks,  from  1672. 

4.  The  fourth  mark  was  added  in  1681,  when  the  farmers 
obtained  the  right  of  marking  plate  both  in  its  rough  state 
and  again  when  finished,  by  way  of  better  security  for  the 
collection  of  the  tax.  The  mark  was  a small  one,  usually  a 
human  head  or  that  of  some  beast  or  bird.  In  the  provinces, 
besides  the  maker’s  mark,  a shield  of  the  town  arms,  accom- 
panied or  not  by  a date-letter,  or  in  some  instances,  perhaps, 
a date-letter  only,  was  the  usual  town-mark  until  1784.  In 
some  places,  however,  they  seem  to  have  used,  at  least  in 
early  times,  the  first  two  letters  of  the  name  of  the  town,  or 
the  first  letters  of  each  syllable  of  it,  or  sometimes  its  first 
and  last  letters.  Mr.  Cripps  is  inclined  to  attribute  the 
mark  consisting  of  the  letters  M 0 P in  Lombardic  charac- 
ters, which  occurs  on  a plate  of  the  xiv.  century  in  the  South 
Kensington  Museum,  to  Montpellier.  A M,  in  the  same 
style  of  lettering,  seems  at  one  time  to  have  been  used  at 
Amiens.  The  lamb  and  flag  of  Rouen  and  the  bend  of 
Strasbourg  show  the  use  of  the  town  arms. 

Whether  the  arms  or  letters  were  used,  a date-letter  was 
often  added  in  the  course  of  the  xv.  or  later  centuries; 


FRANCE. 


37 


indeed  it  was  the  great  number  of  different  alphabets  in 
use,  and  the  confusion  thereby  created,  that  at  length  occa- 
sioned the  abolition  of  all  date-letters  in  1783  and  the  sub- 
stitution of  a new  and  peculiar  mark  for  each  place  to  which 
the  year  should  be  added.  We  might  almost  infer  from 
this  that  some  of  the  provincial  guilds,  following  the  exam- 
ple of  Paris,  had  used  no  mark  except  an  alphabetical  letter. 

From  1672  the  mark  of  the  farmer  of  the  duty  should  be 
found  on  provincial  French,  as  on  Paris,  plate  in  addition  to 
the  town-mark,  maker’s  mark,  and  date-letter. 

There  was  probably  a farmer  of  the  duty  to  each  of  the 
provinces  into  which  France  was  divided  from  the  time  of 
Louis  XIY. ; and  at  the  principal  or  mint  town,  plate  must 
have  paid  duty  and  received  the  mark  of  the  charge  and  dis- 
charge by  way  of  receipt.  The  new  town-mark  of  1783  is 
unfortunately  no  clue  to  any  other  one ; for  it  was  in  hardly 
any  case  an  armorial  bearing,  but  some  quite  modern  and 
fanciful  device,  accompanied  by  the  last  two  figures  of  the 
year,  or  else  some  small  secret  and  variable  character; 
though,  as  they  were  in  use  only  from  1784  to  1789,  five 
troublous  years  in  which  little  plate  could  have  been  made, 
it  must  be  confessed  that  they  are  of  small  interest. 

Tables  of  these  marks  are  given  by  Mr.  Cripps  (Old  French 
Plate). 

From  1789  a period  of  blank  chaos  intervenes  until,  in 
1797,  the  necessary  step  was  taken  of  starting  the  craft 
afresh  upon  a modern  basis.  Possibly  it  was  found  difficult 
to  get  on  any  longer  without  taxes.  This  new  departure 
was  effected  by  the  law  of  19  Brumaire,  year  vi.  (9th  Nov., 
1797),  which  is  not  without  some  importance,  as  it  is  the 
groundwork  of  the  legislation  of  all  modern  French  and 
nearly  all  Continental  States. 

There  are  two  standards  for  works  of  silver,  one  of  .950, 
the  other  .800;  these  are  expressed  in  thousandths  (milli ernes), 
the  old  denominations  of  karats  and  deniers  being  discon- 
tinued. There  are  three  principal  punches : 1.  That  of 
the  maker  — the  initial  letter  of  his  name,  with  some 
symbol ; 2.  That  of  the  standard  — a cock,  animal,  or  head, 
with  Arabic  figures  1 or  2,  to  denote  the  standard ; 3.  That 


38 


OLD  PLATE. 


of  the  assay-office — a classical  head,  accompanied  by  the 
number  or  sign  of  the  department.  Other  marks  are  pro- 
vided for  ancient,  for  foreign,  and  for  plated  wares,  but  it  is 
hardly  worth  while  venturing  into  the  bewildering  sea  of 
modern  French  hall-marks,  since  they  are  of  comparatively 
little  interest  to  amateur  or  collector,  and  of  none  to  the 
antiquary. 

The  duty  is  one  franc  per  hectogramme  on  silver,  not  in- 
cluding the  expense  of  assay.  Foreign  plate  must  be  sent 
to  the  nearest  assay-office,  where  it  shall  be  marked  with 
the  punch  E T (etrangere),  in  addition  to  the  usual  marks, 
and  at  the  time  of  importation. 

#“The  great  centers  of  goldsmiths’  work,  Augsburg  and  Nuremburg, 
where  probably  nearly  all  the  finest  pieces  of  plate  were  produced  in  the  xvi. 
and  xvii.  centuries,  do  not  appear  to  have  dated  their  works,  as  we  seldom 
find  more  than  two  marks,  viz.,  that  of  the  city  and  that  of  the  maker.  . 

“ In  Germany  and  Holland,  it  was  formerly  the  custom  to  indicate  the 
date  by  means  of  letters,  as  a letter  is  generally  found  in  juxtaposition  with  the 
town-mark  and  that  of  the  maker,  but  this  seems  to  have  fallen  into  disuse 
toward  the  end  of  the  last  century.  On  many  pieces  of  German  plate  are 
stamped  the  figures  13  or  12;  these  numbers  refer  to  the  quality  of  the  silver 
according  to  Cologne  weight,  viz.,  thirteen  parts  of  fine  silver  and  three 
parts  of  alloy,  making  up  the  sixteen  loths  of  which  the  Cologne  mark,  or 
half  a pound,  consisted.  It  is  still  adopted  in  the  northern  parts  of  Germany, 
but  Troy  weight  of  twelve  ounces  in  the  pound  is  mostly  used.” 

Many  of  tlie  cities  of  Spain  had  corporations  using  stamps 
for  the  marking  of  gold  and  silver  smiths’  work,  showing 
the  place  of  manufacture  and  the  maker’s  mark. 

Russia,  in  addition  to  the  city  arms  and  maker’s  marks, 
stamps  the  date  and  the  number  of  parts  fine. 

It  is  impossible  to  trace  the  stamps  and  marks  of  many 
pieces  of  plate,  as,  notwithstanding  the  laws  passed  in  so 
many  separate  governments  and  corporations,  grea/t  num- 
bers of  pieces  of  goldsmiths’  work,  in  the  museums  and  in 
other  collections,  are  either  without  systematic  stamps,  or 
the  stamps  are  no  longer  to  be  recognized. 

In  America,  during  Colonial  times,  there  does  not  appear 
to  have  been  any  system  of  marking.  The  maker’s  mark, 

* “ Hall-marks  on  Plate.”  W.  Chaffers. 


UNITED  STATES. 


39 


initials,  or  name  only  is  to  be  found,  without  any  guide  as 
to  date.  The  first  goldsmiths  settled  at  Boston,  and  some 
of  their  wares  are  still  to  be  found,  made  as  early  as  1650. 
In  1767  the  silversmiths  of  Philadelphia  must  have  been  as 
dissatisfied  as  their  predecessors  of  the.  xv.  century  in 
Europe,  at  the  abuses  and  frauds  in  the  trade,  as  they 
petitioned  the  governor  “ for  the  establishment  of  an  assay- 
office  to  regulate  assays  and  stamp  gold  and  silver.” 

In  the  United  States  no  assay-marks  are  used,  and  no 
State  protection  is  afforded  to  purchasers  of  plate ; they  can 
only  trust  to  the  standing  and  reputation  of  the  maker  and 
dealer.  The  standard  is  the  same  as  the  English  sterling , 
925-1000  fine,  the  word  sterling  being  stamped  on  the 
article,  together  with  the  name  or  mark  of  the  maker. 

Prior  to  1868,  the  coin  standard,  900-1000  fine,  was 
generally  in  use  ; the  word  coin  is  frequently  met  with  on 
silver  of  that  date.  The  higher,  or  Britannia,  standard  was 
rarely  used. 

At  the  United  States  assay-office  in  Wall  street,  New- 
York,  assays  are  made  for  the  public  for  a fee  of  two  dollars, 
but  no  assay  similar  to  those  of  the  Goldsmiths  Hall,  Lon- 
don, from  a few  grains  scraped  here  and  there  on  an  article 
of  silver,  are  undertaken.  The  piece,  such  as  a spoon  or 
fork,  is  melted  down  before  assaying. 

The  duty  on  importations  is  forty-five  per  cent.,  but  since 
the  decision  in  the  case  of  Betts  v.  Robertson,  collections  of 
old  silver  are  exempt  as  collections  of  antiquity , even  if  the 
silver  is  of  the  periods  of  the  xvii.  and  xvm.  centuries. 

Collectors  owe  a debt  of  gratitude  to  Mr.  F.  H.  Betts  for 
the  pains  he  took  to  bring  this  case  to  a successful  issue. 


CHAPTEE  V 

HISTORICAL  SKETCH  — FRAUDS  AND  IMITATIONS — TRANSFORMATIONS  — PLATE 

FORGERS. 


HE  patron  of  the  goldsmiths  of  France  was  Saint 
Eloi,  Bishop  of  Noyon  (d.  659).  He  was  appren- 
ticed. to  a goldsmith  named  Abbo,  and  founded 
several  monasteries  which  contained  ateliers  for 
he  manufacture  of  ecclesiastical  ornaments.  He  was  also 
chosen  as  patron  of  the  guild  of  “Hammermen”  of  Scotland, 
or  Smiths,  among  which  goldsmiths  were  anciently  included 
until  those  of  Edinburgh  obtained  a separate  charter  in 
1586,  confirmed  in  1687.  Saint  Dunstan,  of  Glastonbury, 
patron  of  English  goldsmiths,  and  especially  of  the  Gold- 
smiths Company,  of  London,  employed  his  time  between 
religious  exercises  and  the  manufacture  of  sacred  vessels 
and  ornaments  of  the  church.  He  died  988,  and  was  buried 
in  Canterbury  Cathedral. 

The  breaking  up  of  the  Eoman  Empire,  and  the  convul- 
sions through  which  Europe  reached  new  life,  firm  govern- 
ments, and  well-ordered  society,  would  have  buried  the  very 
memory  of  the  arts  but  for  one  protector,  the  Christian 
Church.  Gaul,  Spain,  and  Britain,  including  Western 
Europe,  were  colonies  and  provinces  of  the  Eoman  Empire 
in  the  hi.  century.  The  military  colonists  brought  with 
them  the  arts  of  the  imperial  city. 

After  the  fall  of  the  Empire  the  monasteries  became  the 
nurseries  of  art,  and  especially  of  the  art  of.  the  goldsmith. 


40 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH. 


41 


In  tlie  ix.  and  x.  centuries  the  goldsmiths  of  Ireland  pro- 
duced brooches  and  personal  ornaments,  chalices,  covers  for 
hooks  of  the  gospels,  reliquaries,  croziers,  and  other  objects 
of  religious  use,  unsurpassed  in  the  rest  of  Europe ; but  it 
was  not  until  the  xi.  century  that  the  old  traditions  of 
Byzantine  art  succumbed  under  the  influence  of  mediaeval 
design. 

The  xii.  century  was  fruitful  in  the  production  of  large 
and  costly  pieces  of  work,  few  examples  of  which  remain. 
The  monk  now  begins  to  give  way  to  the  professional  crafts- 
man, though  he  does  not  disappear  altogether  from  the 
scene.  It  was  during  this  century  that  London  goldsmiths 
were  “ amerced  for  being  adulterine.”  The  art  of  precious 
metal  work  and  jewelry  of  the  Middle  Ages  reached  the 
highest  perfection  during  the  xm.  century,  reigned  through 
the  xiv.,  and  this  excellence  slowly  declined  during  the  xv. 
The  personal  splendor  of  princes  and  noblemen  during  these 
centuries  was  great.  The  goldsmiths  of  Burgundy  and  of 
the  low  countries  were  the  most  accomplished  artists  of 
their  time ; the  houses  of  feudal  lords  were  furnished,  many 
of  them,  very  richly,  with  silver,  silver-gilt,  and  occasion- 
ally pure  gold  plate. 

“Before  the  close  of  the  xv.  century  many  causes  were  combining  to 
bring  about  a change  in  the  arts  of  painting,  sculpture,  and  architecture. 
The  taking  of  Constantinople  by  the  Turks,  the  Council  of  Florence,  and 
the  reunion  of  the  Greeks,  brought  the  Greek  language  and  literature  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  Italians.  This  was  the  ‘ Renaissance'  ox  revival  of  the 
ancient  learning.  We  have  in  our  day  but  a faint  conception  of  the  delight 
and  excitement  which  this  revival  produced  in  learned  Europe,  more  espe- 
cially in  Italy.  It  must  be  enough  here  to  say  that  the  arts,  and  that  of  the 
goldsmith  with  others,  were  engaged  wholly  m the  new  range  of  thought 
and  of  aspirations  which  possessed  the  rising  generation.” 


Numberless  vessels  were  broken  up,  melted,  and  re-made, 
all  over  Europe,  in  Italy  and  France  especially.  The  lovers 
of  the  new  fashions  had  no  sort  of  sympathy,  such  as  we 
feel,  with  the  splendor  and  skill  of  older  generations. 

The  goldsmith  had  been  the  type  of  the  complete  artist 
during  the  past  ages.  He  worked  in  all  materials,  and  pro- 


42 


OLD  PLATE. 


duced  an  infinite  variety  of  designs  for  all  sorts  of  things, 
and  on  every  scale  of  size  and  magnificence.  Under  the 
revival,  it  will  be  found  that  many  of  the  greatest  painters, 
sculptors,  and  architects  had  been  goldsmiths  first,  or  had 
obtained  their  education  in  art  in  the  workshops  of  master 
goldsmiths. 

The  work  of  the  xvi.  century  reached  its  greatest  splendor 
and  beauty  in  the  hands  of  Benvenuto  Cellini.  In  England, 
increasing  wealth  and  luxury  told  with  especial  effect  upon 
the  art  and  craft  of  the  goldsmiths.  Five  or  six  hundred  or 
a thousand  pounds  (a  large  sum  in  those  days)  was  the 
ordinary  value,  we  are  told,  of  the  cupboard  of  plate  to  be 
found  in  the  home  of  a knight,  gentleman,  or  wealthy  mer- 
chant, by  the  year  1586 ; the  merchant  excelling  the  others 
in  “ neatnesse  and  curiositie.”  Even  the  farmer  used  silver 
instead  of  pewter,  and  had  u a silver-salt,  a bowl  for  wine 
(if  not  a whole  neast),  and  a dozen  of  spoons  to  finish  up 
the  sute.” 

Notwithstanding  this,  there  was  no  such  celebrated  smith 
to  point  to  in  England  as  Italy  can  boast  of  in  Benvenuto 
Cellini,  France  in  Etienne  Delaulne,  Germany  in  Wenzel 
Jamnitzer,  or  Spain  in  Arphe.  It  is  difficult  to  give  the 
names  of  the  artists  who  executed  even  important  works, 
from  the  loss  of  all  evidence  by  which  to  identify  their 
names  with  their  private  marks.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  as 
in  later  times  the  goldsmith  might  depend  upon  a Hogarth 
or  a Elaxman,  so  in  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.  he  had  the  aid 
of  a Holbein.  The  engravings  of  Hollar  preserve  some  of 
the  designs  of  Holbein  for  cups,  ewers,  and  the  like,  all  full 
of  the  charm  of  the  new  style. 

There  were  but  few  changes  of  fashion  in  the  first  part  of 
the  xvn.  century.  Much  of  the  splendor  with  which  the 
art  of  the  revival  had  filled  the  castles  and  palaces  of  Italy 
had  become  by  that  time  familiar  to  all  the  north  of  Europe. 
No  art,  however,  so  closely  bound  up  with  the  habits  of  men 
as  that  of  the  goldsmith  remains  long  stationary.  The  light 
and  graceful  leaf -work,  the  admirable  figure-work,  and  the 
simplicity  and  dignity  of  both  religious  vessels  and  house- 
hold plate  and  ornaments,  gave  way  to  heavy  and  coarse 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH. 


43 


designs.  More  count  was  made  of  weight,  in  working  the 
precious  metals,  than  of  beauty.  The  large  quantities  of 
silver  that  came  into  Spain  from  Mexico  led  to  excesses  in 
the  use  of  plate  and  splendid  furniture. 

Much  plate,  and  of  very  fine  design,  was  made  in  Portu- 
gal. In  Germany  the  great  guilds  of  Augsburg  and  other 
cities  continued  for  the  first  thirty  or  forty  years  of  the 
century  to  produce  excellent  goldsmiths. 

The  reign  of  Louis  XIV.  was  a time  of  great  encourage- 
ment for  silversmiths  in  France,  but  the  love  of  size,  weight, 
and  ostentation  prevailed  over  that  of  elegance  and  beauty. 
Fire-dogs,  basins,  jugs,  tables,  seats,  mirror-frames,  cabinet- 
mounts,  and  toilet-services  were  made  on  a massive  scale. 
Much  of  this  was  melted  down  during  the  wars  at  the  end 
of  the  century.  “ They  had  cost  ten  millions  (of  francs),  and 
produced  three.”  In  England,  toilets  of  silver  became  the 
fashion;  the  king’s  rooms  in  Whitehall-place,  even  those  of 
the  maids  of  honor,  were  furnished  with  silver  services ; 
mirror-frames  and  basins  and  every  article  for  use  were  of 
that  metal.  These  were,  however,  melted  down  by  William 
III.,  who  raised  the  standard  (1697),  and  ordered  the  gold- 
smiths to  use  the  first  two  letters  of  their  surnames  for  their 
mark.  The  books  containing  these  fresh  entries  give  not 
only  the  names  of  the  craftsmen,  but  the  mark  used  by 
each,  with  the  date  ; we  are  thus  enabled  for  the  first  time 
to  positively  identify  the  names  of  the  makers  with  their 
registered  mark.  It  was  during  this  century  that  the  Lon- 
don smiths  frequently  combined  the  business  of  banking 
with  their  trade,  many  of  the  gentry  being  glad  to  adopt 
the  practice  of  keeping  “ running  cash  balances  ” with  their 
goldsmiths  for  safety’s  sake,  instead  of  keeping  gold  in  their 
own  houses.  This,  indeed,  is  the  origin  of  modern  London 
banking,  and  in  some  cases  existing  firms  actually  represent 
ancestors  who  came  in  for  their  business  in  this  way,  and 
gradually  dropped  their  earlier  calling  for  the  new  one. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  marks  on  plate  are  the 
names  of  the  actual  manufacturers,  the  names  of  the  gold- 
smiths to  whose  order  the  pieces  were  made  not  being 
recorded.  Very  few  were  workers  themselves,  although 


44 


OLD  PLATE. 


they  probably  furnished  designs.  There  are  necessarily  in 
every  piece  of  decorative  plate  three  parties  to  whom  the 
credit  of  production  must  be  ascribed,  viz.,  the  artist  who 
designs  it,  the  plate-ivorker  who  makes  it,  and  the  goldsmith 
who  sells  it  and  becomes  the  publisher. 

Nearly  all  the  celebrated  plate -workers  from  1685  to  the 
first  quarter  of  the  following  century,  who  added  so  much 
to  the  perfection  and  beauty  of  the  English  plate  of  this 
period,  were  of  French  origin,  and  were  probably  Protest- 
ants who  quitted  France  after  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of 
Nantes  on  the  18th  of  October,  1685,  having  become  profi- 
cients in  their  trade  under  the  celebrated  goldsmiths  of  the 
reign  of  Louis  XIV.  The  result  of  this  despotic  act  was  that 
four  hundred  thousand  Protestants,  among  the  most  indus- 
trious and  intelligent  of  the  nation,  quitted  France  and  took 
refuge  in  Great  Britain,  Holland,  Prussia,  Switzerland,  and 
America.  Being  composed  largely  of  merchants,  manufac- 
turers, and  skilled  artisans,  they  carried  with  them  their 
knowledge,  taste,  and  aptitude  for  business.  England  in 
particular  gained  immensely  in  perfecting  the  arts  of  gold- 
smiths’ work. 

The  new  standard  was  soon  found  to  be  not  so  durable 
in  use  as  the  old.  In  1720  the  ancient  national  standard 
of  sterling  silver  was  again  restored,  although  the  newer 
standard  was  not  abolished,  both  being  made  legal. 

French  taste  pervaded  Europe  during  the  first  half  of  the 
xviii.  century,  but  the  discoveries  of  Herculaneum  and 
Pompeii  turned  the  attention  of  artists  toward  classical 
antiquity  and  influenced  the  silversmiths  in  their  designs. 
This  treatment  forms  the  style  called  in  France  Louis  Seize, 
and  in  England  connects  itself  with  the  names  of  Wedgwood 
and  Flaxman,  and  the  brothers  Adam.  Nothing  can  exceed 
the  beauty  of  the  best  examples  of  this  period,  with  its 
graceful  wreaths  looped  up  over  medallions,  or  tied  with 
ribbon  knots ; the  delicate  hinds’  feet,  which  are  such  a dis- 
tinctive feature  of  the  style,  will  also  recur  to  the  mind. 

In  Prance,  after  the  death  of  the  king,  “ came  the  deluge.” 
The  greater  part  of  the  ancient  shrines,  chalices,  reliquaries, 
croziers,  and  other  sacred  utensils  were  seized  by  commis- 


FRAUDS  AND  IMITATIONS. 


45 


sioners,  the  stones  removed,  the  weight  of  metal  noted  and 
sent  off  to  the  revolutionary  mint.  This  destruction  was, 
unfortunately,  by  no  means  confined  to  France.  In  Italy, 
in  Spain,  in  Malta,  where  the  armies  of  the  revolutionary 
government  were  in  possession,  whatever  could  not  be 
removed  or  hidden  was  seized  and  sent  to  Paris.  The  taste 
of  the  French  Empire  under  Napoleon  was  a dry  and 
affected  classicalism.  It  was  without  the  grace  of  the  days 
of  Louis  XYI.  In  England  the  old  designs  gradually  fell 
into  disuse,  and  there  is  not  much  to  be  said  in  favor  of 
plate  made  at  the  close  of  the  last  century. 


* “In  the  first  busy  centuries  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race  in  America,  when 
the  rude  forces  of  the  continent  had  to  be  conquered,  and  the  whole  of 
man’s  energies  was  devoted  to  the  development  of  the  natural  resources  of 
the  land  and  to  the  procuring  of  the  daily  necessaries  of  life,  the  young 
country  had  no  time  for  the  formation  of  a national  style  in  art  or  letters. 

“The  good  old  styles  and  methods  of  the  mother-country  sufficed  for 
them,  and  the  people  were  content  to  run  in  the  lines  that  their  parents  and 
grandparents  had  followed.  But  with  advancing  civilization,  with  the 
greater  wealth,  and  the  consequent  leisure  that  it  brought,  came  the  time  for 
them  to  assert  their  independence  otherwise  than  politically.  The  day  of 
imitation  had  ceased,  and  American  taste  began  to  be  no  longer  the  mere 
echo  of  European  culture.” 

However  interesting  this  progress  may  seem,  a consider- 
ation of  contemporary  work  would  be  inconsistent  with  the 
design  of  a hand-book  on  “ Old  Plate.” 

FKAUDS  AND  IMITATIONS. 

t At  the  present  day  the  sale  of  antique  plate  with  forged 
hall-marks  is  carried  on  to  a great  extent,  especially  in 
England,  where,  in  consequence  of  the  publication  of  tables 
of  date-marks,  its  precise  age  may  be  ascertained ; and  the 
value  of  old  plate  having  thereby  increased  enormously, 
forgers  are  busy  counterfeiting  the  ancient  marks,  not  only 
in  England  but  on  the  Continent. 

* “ The  Magazine  of  Art,”  London,  Dec.,  1885. 
t“  Hall-marks  on  Plate.”  W.  Chaffers. 


46 


OLD  PLATE. 


By  the  electrotype  process  an  ancient  vase,  cup,  or  any 
piece  of  plate  may  be  molded  with  the  greatest  exactness, 
showing  the  minutest  chasing  and  engraving,  and  even  the 
hammer-marks  of  the  original,  as  well  as  the  hall-mark 
itself ; these  reproductions  are  difficult  of  detection  to  the 
uninitiated,  but  an  expert  will  at  a glance  discover  the  spu- 
rious copy,  although  the  means  by  which  he  arrives  at  such 
a conclusion  are  not  so  easily  explained.  An  experienced 
numismatist  will,  by  the  feel,  as  well  as  the  sight,  distin- 
guish between  a true  and  a false  coin ; so  a perceptible 
difference  will  be  observed  between  a genuine  piece  of  old 
chased  silver  and  its  modern  prototype ; there  is  about  the 
latter  a greasy,  unsatisfactory  appearance,  which  a prac- 
ticed hand  and  eye  will  at  once  detect.  Of  course,  in  these 
electrotype  copies,  the  reverse  would  show  the  crystals 
formed  in  the  process;  but  these  are  inside  the  cup  or  vase, 
and,  if  in  sight,  are  tooled  over  to  prevent  detection. 

Sometimes  English  hall-marks  are  cut  from  a spoon  or 
small  article,  and  transferred  to  a large  and  more  important 
piece  of  plate,  such  as  a cup  or  vase,  perhaps  of  old  German 
manufacture ; this  might  be  detected  by  an  assay,  to  ascer- 
tain if  the  quality  correspond  with  the  English  standard, 
foreign  plate  being  usually  inferior,  which  could  be  done 
with  little  trouble  and  at  a trifling  cost  at  an  assay-office  by 
scraping  a few  grains  from  the  piece.  On  close  examination 
with  a magnifier,  the  transposed  fragment  containing  the 
hall-mark  may  be  traced  by  the  line  round  the  edge,  which 
is  generally  inserted  with  solder,  or,  if  highly  polished,  the 
junction  may  be  observed  by  applying  the  fumes  of  sulphur, 
or  by  the  blow-pipe. 

In  examining  pieces  with  supposed  counterfeit  or  forged 
hall-marks,  several  indicia  must  be  specially  considered.  We 
must  first  try  and  divine  the  motive  of  falsification ; whether 
it  be  to  pass  off  inferior  or  base  metal  as  standard,  or 
whether  the  object  be  to  deceive  by  making  the  piece  appear 
of  a more  ancient  date  than  it  really  is,  by  placing  the  coun- 
terfeit of  the  old  die  upon  good  silver,  and  taking  advantage 
of  the  increased  value  between  antique  and  modern  plate. 
In  the  first  place  we  easily  arrive  at  a safe  conclusion  by  an 


FRAUDS  AND  IMITATIONS. 


47 


assay ; in  the  second  we  must,  to  a great  extent,  be  guided 
by  the  style  and  fashion  of  the  vessel,  and  judge  whether 
they  correspond  with  the  date  assigned  to  it  by  the  stamps, 
which,  if  copied  accurately  from  the  English  hall-marks, 
can  be  easily  ascertained.  Again,  the  methods  of  manufact- 
uring plate,  ancient  and  modern,  are  essentially  different, 
as  indicated  by  the  presence  of  hammer-marks,  etc.  The 
style  of  ornamentation  in  repousse , engraving  and  chasing, 
differ  materially ; the  color  and  tint  of  old  gilding  is  also 
difficult  to  imitate.  Moreover,  we  must  not  be  misled  or 
taken  off  our  guard  by  abrasions,  marks  of  wear  and  tear, 
or  rough  usage,  as  these  are  easily  counterfeited. 

Another  method  of  detecting  spurious  plate  is  by  a close 
observation  of  the  position  of  the  hall-marks  on  the  piece 
of  plate  under  examination.  The  stamping  of  plate  at  the 
assay-offices  is  not  done  at  random,  but  is  subject  to  official 
orders  and  regulations,  and  rules  are  issued  instructing  the 
stamping  clerk  on  which  particular  part  of  each  piece  the 
punch  is  to  be  applied.  This  established  practice  dates, 
from  an  early  period,  and  was  so  constant  that  any  devia- 
tion will,  to  a connoisseur,  raise  in  his  mind  doubts  of  the 
genuineness  of  the  piece  under  inspection.  From  habit,  any 
person  accustomed  to  examine  ancient  hall-marks  knows 
exactly  the  position  in  which  they  ought  to  be  placed,  and 
an  inexperienced  person  will  do  well  to  compare  a doubtful 
piece  with  an  undoubted  specimen,  and  form  his  judgment 
accordingly. 

Spoons  are  sometimes  found  metamorphosed  into  Postles 
by  the  addition  of  a modern  statuette  of  a saint  cut  from  a 
G-erman  spoon,  or  are  even  turned  into  forks.  In  Holland 
and  in  Germany  spoons  are.  still  made  in  the  style  of  the 
xvi.  and  xvn.  centuries,  and  recently  large  quantities  have 
come  into  the  market. 

We  may  here  remark  that  the  old-fashioned  French  pat- 
tern spoons,  which  have  been  superseded  by  the  modern 
fiddle-head,  instead  of  being  consigned  to  the  crucible  are 
purchased  by  silversmiths  at  the  melting  price , the  bowls 
being  chased  with  fruit  and  gilt,  and  form  very  elegant 
spoons  for  dessert,  but  of  course  the  chasing  is  modern  and 


48 


OLD  PLATE. 


not  of  the  date  indicated  by  the  hall-mark ; the  large  old- 
fashioned  plain  tea-kettles,  tea-pots,  and  milk-jugs  of  the  last 
one  hundred  and  fifty  years  are  in  like  manner  elaborately 
chased  or  engraved  by  modern  artists.  Deception  is  prac- 
ticed in  many  other  ways ; for  instance,  an  antique  silver 
bas-relief  with  its  hall-mark  is  soldered  into  the  center  of  a 
salver,  the  border  being  modern  and  very  heavy ; the  new 
hall-mark  (of  the  border)  is  erased,  leaving  only  the  old  one 
visible,  and  the  purchaser  is  deceived,  thinking  the  whole 
salver  is  antique. 

The  duty-marks  of  the  sovereign’s  head  denoting  pay- 
ment of  the  impost  was  first  used  in  1784,  and  in  the  case 
of  foreign  plate  the  sovereign’s  head  and  letter  F in  1867. 
These  additional  stamps  at  once  proclaim  the  comparatively 
recent  date  of  a piece  of  plate ; to  remedy  this,  the  intrusive 
stamps  are  frequently  erased,  leaving  only  four  marks  as 
previously  used  instead  of  five  or  six , which,  if  it  does  not 
convince  every  collector,  at  any  rate  puzzles  him,  and  in 
many  instances  the  deception  is  successful. 

Even  the  experienced  collector  may  occasionally  be  de- 
ceived, and  it  requires  somewhat  more  than  a hasty  glance 
to  arrive  at  a satisfactory  conclusion  on  the  merits  or 
demerits  of  a piece  of  plate, — e.  g.,  an  isolated  spoon  with 
cleverly  imitated  hall-marks  might  pass  muster,  but  when 
a whole  set  is  produced,  suspicion  is  naturally  aroused,  and 
a more  scrutinizing  investigation  with  the  magnifying-glass 
becomes  necessary.  W e shall  perhaps  discover  that  the  three 
or  four  hall-marks  exactly  correspond  on  each  spoon  and  all 
are  precisely  in  the  same  relative  position  or  distance  from 
each  other,  the  same  angle  of  inclination  of  each  punch ; in 
fact,  the  exact  counterpart  in  the  minutest  particular.  Now 
a little  reasoning  on  this  coincidence  will  prove  that  such  a 
close  resemblance  of  one  set  of  stamps  to  another  amounts 
to  an  impossibility  on  genuine  spoons.  When  we  consider 
the  method  of  stamping  at  the  hall,  the  marks  being  punched 
with  several  punches  at  different  times,  the  maker  placing 
his  registered  stamp  upon  the  article  before  he  sends  it  to 
be  assayed,  and  after  the  assay  is  completed  the  hall-marks 
are  placed  by  its  side. 


TRANSFORM  A TIONS. 


49 


Transformations  are  common,  and  old-fasliioned  articles 
of  plate  are  frequently  beaten  out,  added  to,  or  ornamented  in 
such  a manner  as  to  render  them  serviceable  and  attractive, 
still  retaining  the  ancient  hall-mark,  although  it  may  appear 
in  a wrong  position  on  the  piece.  Old  saucepans  of  Queen 
Anne’s  time,  having  become  unsalable,  are  converted  into 
tankards  and  mugs ; dishes  originally  plain  are  turned  into 
chased  waiters  or  baskets ; old  decanter-stands  (now  out  of 
date)  are  by  trifling  additions  turned  into  soy-frames,  etc. 
Manufacturers  are  allowed  in  England  to  add  to  any  piece 
of  silver  a quantity  not  exceeding  one-third  of  the  whole, 
which  additional  piece  may  be  sent  to  the  Goldsmiths’  Hall 
and  stamped,  but  these  additions  must  be  made  in  such  a man- 
ner as  not  to  alter  the  original  use  for  which  it  was  intended. 
Thus  a piece  may  have  a foot,  handle,  spout,  or  stand  affixed ; 
an  old  tankard  may  have  a lip  attached  for  pouring  out 
liquids,  but  it  must  not  have  a spout  added  so  as  to  serve  as 
a coffee-pot ; in  fact,  no  piece  whatever  may  be  diverted  from 
its  original  use  by  any  addition  or  alteration.  Pieces  of  hall- 
marked plate  which  have  been  added  to,  beyond  the  limit  of 
one-third  proportion  to  the  weight  of  the  article,  are  subject 
to  a duty  upon  the  whole,  and  must  be  stamped  accordingly. 
The  old  hall-marks  in  this  case  are  not  obliterated,  but  a 
new  series  of  hall-marks  are  placed  under  the  original 
marks ; hence  the  occurrence  of  these  two  sets  of  hall-marks 
reveals  the  alterations  and  additions  made  by  the  manufac- 
turer. Before  the  year  1700  the  marks  were  placed  upon 
cups  and  bowls  outside  on  the  margin  near  the  mouth.  On 
tankards  they  will  be  found  on  the  margin  to  the  right  of 
the  handle,  and  if  a flat  lid,  straight  across  in  a line  with 
the  purchase-knob  or  sometimes  upon  the  flange;  dishes 
and  salvers,  upon  the  faces.  At  and  after  Queen  Anne’s 
time  these  rules  were  altered,  and  instead  of  being  so  con- 
spicuously situated,  the  marks  were  placed  on  the  backs, 
and  upon  cups  and  bowls  were  stamped  underneath,  or 
inside  the  hollow  stem  of  the  foot,  and  inside  the  lids  of 
tankards. 

In  early  spoons  the  leopard’s  head  crowned  was  placed 
inside  the  bowl  close  to  the  stem,  the  maker’s  mark,  date- 


50 


OLD  PLATE. 


letter,  and  lion  on  the  hack  of  the  stem,  hnt  on  rat-tail 
spoons  of  the  latter  half  of  the  xvn.  century  all  the  four 
marks  were  placed  on  the  hack  of  the  stems.  The  hooks  of 
the  Goldsmiths  Company  of  London  having  perished  in  the 
great  fire  of  1666,  the  orders  for  the  application  of  the 
stamps  in  their  relative  positions  on  articles  of  plate  are 
unknown,  hut  there  was  evidently  a regular  system  adopted 
as  in  France.  The  application  of  the  punches  in  that 
country  was  intrusted  to  the  comptrollers  of  the  bureaus, 
and  in  this  operation  to  insure  uniformity  a catalogue 
was  published  previous  to  the  prohibition  of  massive 
plate  in  1679,  and  again  in  1819  and  1838,  giving  instruc- 
tions for  placing  the  stamps  in  the  exact  positions  indi- 
cated on  each  piece  of  plate.  To  return  to  the  “ Quarterly 
Review.” 

Many  things  are  cunning,  said  Sophocles,  but  nothing 
is  more  cunning  than  man,  and  this  is  certainly  the  case 
with  our  modern  plate-forgers,  many  of  whose  works  are 
admirable,  only  they  are  not  antique.  We  have  heard 
a good  story  on  this  point  from  one  of  our  friends,  who, 
having  acquired  at  one  coup  two  German  xiv.  century  cups 
and  covers  exquisitely  wrought,  which  were,  after  much 
investigation,  proved  to  be  forgeries  by  a well-known  Ger- 
man maker,  set  off  with  them  to  the  Continent,  and  burst- 
ing into  the  work-shop  of  the  forger,  who  was  calmly  pur- 
suing his  trade,  cried,  “Was  it  you  who  made  these  xiv. 
century  cups?”  The  answer  was  admirable.  “Yes,  I 
did;  and  I am  not  ashamed  of  them.  You  see  they  bear 
Fir  cone  of  Augsburg  as  their  mark,  but  this  is  not  Augs- 
burg, and  so  I can  make  xiv.  century  plate  with  that  mark.” 
Against  such  a forger  as  this  — a great  artist  in  his  way  — 
we  scarce  know  what  is  to  be  said,  except  that,  as  the 
workmanship  was  fine  and  the  price  moderate,  our  friend 
had  not  very  much  to  complain  of.  Besides,  he  ought  to 
have  known  that  to  be  able  at  one  moment  to  acquire  two 
such  works  of  art  of  the  xrv.  century  was  something  quite 
beyond  the  bounds  of  possibility. 

Few  people  would  venture  to  buy  a professed  diamond  or 
other  precious  stone  on  their  own  judgment,  lest  that  should 


MODERN  FRAUDS. 


51 


happen  to  them  which  befell  a noted  foreign  millionaire, 
who  bought  for  a large  price  a reputed  sapphire,  which  was 
fortunately  found  to  be  only  an  antique  paste  before  he  had 
completed  the  purchase.  Fewer  still  would  buy  on  their 
own  judgment  a fine  coin  — or,  to  come  down  to  more 
domestic  matters,  a fine  horse  — unless  in  each  case  they 
had  special  knowledge,  and  were  diamond  dealers,  numis- 
matists, or,  as  the  case  might  be,  horse  breeders.  The  same 
rule  holds  good  with  plate  in  these  collecting  days.  The 
time  is  long  past  when,  in  any  provincial  town,  or,  for  that 
matter,  in  shops  in  London  streets,  plate  of  the  time  of 
Queen  Anne,  and  occasional^  choice  pieces  of  earlier 
reigns,  and  more  especialty  spoons,  could  be  bought  at  a 
moderate  price. 

In  the  face  of  such  prices  when  forgeries  abound,  and 
when  every  one  who  is  in  possession  of  a genuine  thing  — 
be  it  picture,  print,  china,  precious  stone,  or  plate  — is  well 
aware  of  its  worth,  and  probably  puts  an  exaggerated  value 
on  it,  what  more  can  we  do  than  repeat  to  the  intending 
plate-buyer  those  two  words  — caution  and  good  advice  ? 


CHAPTER  VI 

AMERICAN  SILVERSMITHS. 


BOSTON  — ALBANY — NEW- YORK  — PHILADELPHIA  — PROVIDENCE. 


Boston  was  the 
In  October,  1652, 
c to  supply  the 
coinage,  Joseph 
Jenks,  of  Lynn,  a native  of  Hammersmith,  near  London, 
was  employed  to  make  the  dies.  The  money  was  coined 
by  John  Hull,  a gold  and  silver  smith,  on  whose  land  the 
‘ Mint  House  ’ stood,  and  Robert  Sanderson,  of  Boston.” 
John  Hull  was  born  at  Market  Harboro,  Leicestershire, 
1624;  arrived  at  Boston  1635 ; died  1683.  He  was  not  only 
a goldsmith,  but  a successful  merchant,  and  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  First  Church;  his  mark,  together  with  his 
partner’s,  is  to  be  found  on  silver  in  the  possession  of  this 
church,  the  Old  South,  and  the  First  Church,  Dorchester. 

He  writes  in  his  diary : “After  a little  keeping  at  school, 
I was  taken  to  help  my  father  plant  corn,  which  I attended 
to  for  several  years  together ; and  then,  by  God’s  good  hand, 
I fell  to  learning  (by  the  help  of  my  brother)  and  to  practice 
the  trade  of  a goldsmith.” 

In  1652,  the  General  Court  ordered  a mint  to  be  set  up. 
“And  they  made  choice  of  me  for  that  employment;  and 

u * History  of  American  Manufactures.”  Bishop. 


E have  previously  stated  that 
home  of  the  first  goldsmiths. 
when  Massachusetts  undertook 
deficiency  of  specie  by  a silvei 


52 


BOSTON. 


53 


I chose  my  friend  Robert  Sanderson  to  be  my  partner,  to 
which  the  Court  assented.” 

Robert  Sanderson,  or  Saunderson,  was  probably  Deacon 
Robert  Sanderson,  who  died  at  Boston,  1693. 

Another  entry  in  the  diary  reads : 

“ 1659.  1st  of  5th.  I received  into  my  house  Jeremie 
Dummer  and  Samuel  Paddy,  to  serve  me  as  apprentices 
eight  years.” — (Archceologia  Americana.) 

“ Jeremiah  Dummer  was  a goldsmith ; married  in  1672 
Hannah  Awater.”  He  was  the  father  of  Gfovernor  Will- 
iam Dummer. — ( Heraldic  Journal.) 

Timothy  Dwight  (born  1654,  died  1692),  another  gold- 
smith, was  in  business  from  about  1685,  and  it  is  supposed 
that  he  was  succeeded  by  Samuel  Burt,  his  apprentice.  He 
died  about  1754.  Afterward  his  son  (?),  Benjamin  Burt, 
carried  on  the  business.  We  find  the  name  of  John  Burt 
on  the  Brown  loving-cup  at  Harvard  (1731),  and  on  a flagon 
at  King’s  Chapel,  given  to  the  new  North  Church,  1745 ; that 
of  W.  Burt  on  a flagon  presented  to  the  South  Church,  1748, 
while  that  of  Benjamin  Burt  is  on  a tankard  presented  to 
the  First  Church,  in  Dorchester,  1808.  John  Foster,  an 
apprentice  of  Benjamin  Burt,  commenced  business  about 
1795.  He  was  a deacon  of  the  Old  South,  and  made  the 
Communion  service  in  use  at  the  Second  Baptist  Church  in 
Baldwin  Place.  In  the  annals  of  King’s  Chapel,  mention 
is  made  of  one  Gross  “makeing  two  ps  plate,”  1695,  and 
William  Cowell  “for  Mr.  Wats’s  plate,”  1728.  The  latter 
name  is  on  a tankard,  “ the  legacy  of  Mrs.  Mary  Ireland  to 
the  Old  South  Church,  1763.” 

Jacob  Hurd,  goldsmith,  of  Boston  (died  1758),  was  the 
father  of  the  celebrated  engraver,  Nathaniel  Hurd  (born 
1730,  died  1777).  The  elder  Hurd’s  name  is  on  plate  at 
Christ  Church  (1732),  the  First  Church,  Dorchester  (1736 
and  1748),  and  the  First  and  Second  Churches,  Boston. 

Among  the  list  of  subscribers  to  “ Prince’s  Chronology,” 
1728-36,  are  Mr.  Jacob  Hurd,  goldsmith  [for  six),  Mr.  Andrew 
Tyler,  goldsmith  (for  three).  None  of  the  goldsmiths  of 
Colonial  times  seem  to  have  depended  on  their  trade  alone ; 
they  were  also  engravers  of  book-plates,  cards,  bill-heads, 
dies,  and  seals. 


54 


OLD  PLATE. 


We  insert  the  following  advertisement  from  the  “Boston 
Gazette,”  28th  April,  1760: 

“ Nathaniel  Hurd  Informs  his  Customers  he  has  removd  his  shop  from 
Maccarty  s Corner  on  the  Exchange , to  the  hack  Part  of  the  opposite  Brick 
Building , where  Mr.  Ezekiel  Price  kept  his  Office , where  he  continues  to 
do  all  Sorts  of  Goldsmiths'  Work , likewise  engraves  in  Gold,  Silver, 
Copper,  Brass,  and  Steel,  in  the  neatest  Manner,  at  a reasonable  Rate." 

Hnrd  probably  never  married.  His  brother  Benjamin 
was  a goldsmith,  as  was  also  his  brother-in-law,  Daniel 
Henchman  (son  of  Rev.  Nathaniel  Henchman),  whose  mark 
is  on  the  two  chalices  presented  to  the  First  Church,  Boston, 
by  Mrs.  Lydia  Hancock,  and  engraved  with  a coat-of-arms, 
evidently  the  work  of  Nathaniel  Hnrd. 

John  Dixwell  was  the  son  of  Col.  John  Dixwell,  one  of 
the  judges  of  Charles  I.  The  regicide  tied  to  America,  and 
lived  at  New  Haven,  where  he  married  (died  1689).  In  a 
list  of  Proprietors  of  New  Haven,  1685,  we  find  the  name  of 
John  Davids  or  Dixwell. 

The  son  moved  to  Boston,  where  he  worked  at  the  trade  of 
a goldsmith.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  and  officers  of  the 
New  North  Church,  and  presented  a cnp  to  that  church, 
1717,  no  doubt  made  by  him ; the  same  initials  I D are  to 
be  found  on  numerous  pieces  of  plate  in  the  possession  of 
King’s  Chapel,  Boston,  the  First  Churches,  Dorchester  and 
Boston,  and  the  Old  South,  Boston,  made  between  1700  and 
1722.  He  died  1725. 

In  a foot-note  in  the  “New  England  Magazine,”  Yol. 
III.,  mention  is  made  of  a MS.  by  SI.  Davis,  of  Plymouth, 
giving  the  name  of  a journeyman  called  Yent,  a native  of 
Germany,  who  excelled  in  silver-plate  engraving.  He  men- 
tions also  Brigdon,Webb,  Edwards,  Pierpont,  Burt,  Bowyer, 
Parker,  Belknap,  Emery,  Holmes,  Tyler,  Woodward,  Froth- 
ingham,  Codner,  and  though  last,  not  least,  Paul  Revere. 

# “ Paul  Revere  was  born  in  Boston,  January  1, 1735.  His 
ancestors  were  French  Huguenots,  and  wrote  the  name 
Rivoire.  His  grandfather  emigrated  from  St.  Foy,  in  France, 
to  the  island  of  Guernsey,  in  1685,  after  the  revocation  of 
the  edict  of  Nantes,  by  Louis  XI Y.,  from  whence  his  father, 

* “ Magazine  of  American  History.” 


BOSTON. 


55 

Apollos,  afterward  called  Paul,  came  to  Boston,  at  the  age 
of  thirteen,  and  learned  the  trade  of  a goldsmith ; his  eldest 
son,  Paul,  received  his  education  at  the  famous  Master  Tiles- 
ton’s  school.  He  had  a natural  taste  for  drawing,  and  it 
was  his  peculiar  business,  after  learning  the  same  trade  as 
his  father,  to  design  and  execute  all  the  engravings  on  the 
various  kinds  of  silver  plate  then  manufactured.” 

At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  joined  the  expedition  against 
the  French  at  Crown  Point,  holding  the  position  of  second 
lieutenant  of  artillery.  During  the  Revolutionary  War, 
he  was  at  first  major  and  afterward  lieutenant-colonel  in 
the  regiment  of  artillery  raised  for  the  defense  of  the  State 
after  the  British  evacuated  Boston. 

After  the  close  of  the  war,  in  1783,  he  opened  a foundry 
at  the  north  end  of  Boston,  on  Foster  street,  where  he  cast 
church  bells,  brass  cannon,  and  iron  ware,  which  he  con- 
tinued until  1801,  when  he  and  his  son — Joseph  Warren 
Revere  — established  the  extensive  works  on  the  east  branch 
of  the  Neponset  River,  at  Canton.  They  continued  this 
business  until  the  death  of  Paul,  in  1818,  when  the  son 
founded  the  Revere  Copper  Company,  which  is  still  in  active 
operation. 

Of  the  portraits  of  Revere,  that  by  Copley  shows  him  at 
the  bench,  in  shirt-sleeves,  holding  a silver  cup  in  one  hand, 
with  engravers’  tools  by  his  side. 

Mr.  Edward  Ingersoll  Browne,  of  Boston,  has  not  only  a 
teapot  made  by  Revere,  but  a receipted  bill  for  it,  which  he 
has  kindly  allowed  us  to  copy. 

Boston,  April  2,  1789. 

Moses  Browne,  Esq. 

Bot  of  Paul  Revere  & Son. 

To  Silvr  Teapot,  16  oz.  @ 7 - - - - £ 5 . 12 

Making  & Engravg,  - - - - -5.8 

Silver  Stand  for  do.  6 oz.  - - - - 2.2 

Making  & EngravS,  - - - - - 1.10 

4.  Silvr  Salt  Spoons,  -----  18 

£ ‘5  • 10 

By  Silver  Salver,  25  oz-  © 7,  - - - - 8.15 

6.15 


Reed  pay  in  full, 


Paul  Revere. 


56 


OLD  PLATE. 


This  mode  of  making  out  a gold  or  silver  smith’s  account 
is  a relic  of  an  old  English  custom  prevalent  even  in  Shak- 
spere’s  time.  In  “The  Comedy  of  Errors,”  Angelo,  the 
goldsmith,  says: 


“ Here’s  the  note 
How  much  your  chain  weighs  to  the  utmost  carat. 

The  fineness  of  the  gold,  and  chargeful  fashion.” 

ACT  IV.,  SCENE  i. 


Nowadays,  fortunately,  buying  plate  by  the  ounce  is 
restricted  to  the  auction  rooms.  No  art  can  flourish  under 
such  a system,  nor  can  artists  be  expected  to  sell  their  pro- 
ductions by  the  ounce. 

Old  silver  with  Revere’s  mark  is  plentiful.  He  made 
vessels  for  King’s  Chapel,  the  First  Church,  and  the  Old 
South.  His  son  Edward  was  a silversmith  of  considerable 
note.  He  died  1802-3,  and  was  buried  at  Copps  Hill. 
On  the  stone  marking  his  grave,  which  is  still  to  be  seen, 
mention  is  made  that  he  was  a silversmith. 

In  the  Boston  Directory  for  1789  are  the  following  names. 
Two  are  classed  under  the  head  of  silversmiths  — 

Thomas  Revere  and  Benjamin  Burt. 

The  remainder  are  goldsmiths,  with  the  exception  of  Sam- 
uel Minot,  who  is  also  an  “Importer  of  plated  and  jewellery 
ware.” 


Nath’l  Austin, 
Samu’l  Belknap, 
Thos.  Bentley, 
Stephen  Emery, 
Joseph  Foster, 


David  Griffith, 
William  Homes, 
Charles  Leach, 
Nath’l  Leach, 
Benj’n  Pierpont, 
David  Tyler. 


Thomas  Pons, 
Paul  Revere, 
Jas.  Ridgeway, 
Joseph  Smith, 
T.  B.  Simpkins, 


At  Newburyport,  Jacob  Perkins  (born  1766)  assumed  the 
management  of  the  goldsmith’s  business  of  his  deceased 
master,  Davis,  at  the  age  of  fifteen.  He  made  gold  beads 
and  shoe-buckles  in  a superior  manner,  and  invented  a new 
method  of  plating  the  latter.  At  twenty-one  he  made  dies 
for  the  Massachusetts  mint.  He  afterward  removed  to 
Philadelphia,  and  subsequently  to  London.  Many  of  his 


ALBANY. 


57 


inventions  were  rewarded  by  the  medals  of  the  Society  of 
Arts  of  that  city. 

# “Abel  Bnell,  an  ingenious  gold  and  silver  smith,  of  Kil- 
lingworth,  Conn.,  about  1766,  constructed  probably  the  first 
lapidary  machine  used  in  this  country.”  He  was  also  asso- 
ciated with  Amos  Doolittle,  of  New  Haven  (died  1832,  aged 
78), — an  engraver,  who  served  a regular  apprenticeship  with 
a silversmith, — in  issuing  a series  of  historical  prints  and 
maps. 

“ Buell  was  also  employed,  with  others,  in  coining  copper 
money  for  the  State,  for  which  he  constructed  all  the 
apparatus  capably  of  making  one  hundred  and  twenty  per 
minute.” 

“ Joseph  Hopkins,  another  silversmith,  of  Waterbury, 
before  the  Revolution,  made  plated  knee  and  shoe  buckles, 
silver  sleeve  and  vest  buttons,  and  other  plated  ware,  some 
of  which  are  still  preserved.” 

Kilian  Van  Rensselear,  a wealthy  pearl  merchant  of 
Amsterdam,  purchased  of  the  Indians,  in  1630,  a tract  of 
land  up  the  Hudson,  which,  on  the  occupation  of  the  Prov- 
ince by  the  British  in  1664,  was  called  Albany.  To  do 
business  in  this  or  other  cities  it  was  necessary  to  become 
a Freeman. 

In  November,  1713,  the  authorities  issued  the  following 
ordinance : 

f“  Whereas  complaints  are  made  that  severall  persons  in  this  city  do  pre- 
sume to  retaile  and  use  manual  occupations  without  being  made  freemen  or 
citizens  of  ye  s'd  City  : It  is  therefore  publish^.,  ordaind,  and  declard  y1 

no  person  or  persons  shall  hereafter  sell  or  expose  to  sale  by  retaile  any  ware 
or  merchandise  by  themselves  or  any  other  person  or  persons  whatsoever,  or 
use  any  trade  or  mystery  or  manuall  occupation  in  ye  sd  city  or  liberties 
thereof,  unless  he  or  they  shall  have  his  or  their  freedom  and  be  actual! 
dwellers  and  inhabitants  of  ye  City  aforesd.” 

Among  the  Freedoms  purchased  in  1781  appear  the 
names  of  two  silversmiths,  John  Folson  and  Joseph  Hall. 

In  1784  Balch  & Fryer  opened  a shop  near  the  north  gate 
for  the  purpose  of  carrying  on  the  gold  and  silver  smith’s 
business. 

* “History  of  American  Manufactures.”  Bishop, 
f “ Annals  of  Albany.  ” Munsell. 


58 


OLD  PLATE. 


Jewelers  and  silversmiths  were  numerous  in  New- York 
from  an  early  period.  We  here  give  a complete  list  of  gold 
and  silver  smiths  from  the 


“register  of  freemen  of  the  CITY  OF  NEW- YORK, 


Commencing  29th  September,  1683. : 


Anderson,  William.  .July  5,  1746  g 
Bancker,  Adrian.  . . April  6, 1731  g 
Besley,  Thauvet.  . .Dee.  19,  1727  G 
Bogardus,  Everardus  July  5,  1698  s 

Bonnet,  James Jan.  31,  1769  j 

Bourdet,  Stephen.  . .Aug.  4,  1730  s 
Brevoort,  John  . Nov.  23,  1742  s 
Broadhurst,  Samuel. Aug. 4,  1725  s 

Cario,  Michael June  25,  1728  j 

Caron,  Nicholas Aug.  5, 1718  J 

Cornelison,  Cornelius  Au.  5, 1712  s 

Dawson,  John Jan.  31,  1769  j 

DePeyster,  William  May  22, 1733  g 
DeRemier,  Peter  ..  . Jan.  31,1769g 

Dunn,  Cary Oct.  29,  1765  g 

Edwards,  Thomas.  . .May  25,  1731  g 
Etting,  Benjamin . . .Feb.  8,  1769  g 
Fielding,  George.  .April  13,  1731  g 

Forbes, William  G 1773  g 

Fueter,  Dan.  Christ’n  Dec.  4,1 759  g 
Fueter,  Lewis.  . . .March28,  1775  G 
Goelet,  Phillip.  . . .May  25,  1731  g 

Grigg,  William. Oct.  1,  1765  s 

Hastier,  John.  . March  29,  1726  s 

Hays,  Andrew Feb.  8,  1769  g 

Heath,  John March  3,  1761  s 

Hourtin,  William.  ..April  6, 1731  g 
Houtenburgh, Tobias  May  25,1731  g 

Hutton,  John  Nov.  8, 1720  g 

Jackson,  John April  6,  1731  g 

Kendrick, Ahasuer’s,  Au.  30,1698  s 
Kiersteade,  Corne’s  July  26, 1698  s 


Kiersteade,  Cornel’s  May  30, '1702  s 

Kip,  Benjamin  May  30,  1702  s 

Kingston,  John.  . March  28,  1775  g 
Le  Roux,  Barthol.  May  15,  1739  G 
Le  Roux,  Charles.  .Feb.  16, 1725  g 

Le  Roux,  John Jan.  8,  1722  g 

Lorin,  Peter  Dec.  3,  1751  j 

Lyell,  David Aug.  28,  1699  g 

Lyng,  John  Burt.  . March  3,  1761  s 

Martin,  Peter Aug.  4, 1756  g 

Morris,  Silvester  .Sept.  29,  1759  s 

Moulinar,  John Aug. 7,  1744  G 

Myers,  Myer April  29, 1746  g 

Onclebag,  Gerrett.  Sept.  6,  1698  s 

Overin,  Richard Feb.  3,  1701  s 

Parisien,  Otho Jan.  31,  1769  s 

Pelletrau,  Elias.  . Aug.  31,  1750  g 
Quint ard,  Peter  . May  18,  1731  g 

Robert,  Christ’r May  4,  1731  s 

Rominie,  John  ....  Sept.  11,  1770  s 
Roosevelt,  NicHOL’sMar.20, 1738  g 
Rydout,  George  . . .Feb.  18,  1745  g 
Schaats,  Bartholo.  . May  22,  1708  s 
Skinner,  Abraham.  May  18,  1756  g 

Slydell,  Joshua Oct.  1,  1765  s 

Ten  Eyck,  Coenraet.  .May  8,  1716  s 
Thomas,  Walter.  .March 21,  1769  s 
Vanderspiegel,  Jaco. Feb.  24,1701  s 
Vergereau,  Peter.  .July  11,  1721  s 
Wyncoope,  Benjamin. Aug.  9,  1698  s 
Wynkoop,  Cornelius.  Jan.  10, 1727  s 


G Goldsmith.  s Silversmith.  J Jeweler. 

The  last  entry  in  the  “ Register”  is  that  of  June  13,  1775. 


NEW- YORK. 


59 


Two  of  the  names  appear  in  the  entries  at  G-oldsmiths’ 
Hall,  London. 

“Dan.  Christ.  Fueter,  Chelsea,  next  door  to  the  Man  in  ye  Moon,  8 Dec., 
1753,”  and  “Geo.  Ridout,  Lombard  st.,  17  Oct.,  1 743.”  It  is  evidently  the 
mark  of  the  latter  on  the  Alms  bason  at  Trinity  Church,  “Rev.  Henry  Barclay 
Presenter,  1747.” 

In  the  first  Directory,  1786,  we  find  that  the 

“ Gold  and  Silver  Smiths’  Society  meets  on  Wednesdays,  at  the  house  of 
Walter  HeyerS 

“ Myer  Myers,  Chairman  ; Members, — Samuel  Johnson,  William  Gilbert, 
Efq.,  Otto  De  Perrizang  (Otho  Parisien  ?),  William  Forbes,  John  Burger, 
Daniel  Chene,  Cary  Dunn,  Benjamin  Halfted,  and  Ephraim  Brafher.” 

Among  the  annals  of  the  city  for  the  same  year,  compiled 
from  newspapers  of  the  day,  we  read  that 

“John  Burger,  goldsmith,  will  continue  for  the  ensuing  year  at  the  same 
house,  No.  207  Oueen  Street,  near  Burling  Slip.  He  solicits  orders  especially 
for  large  plate  and  gives  the  highest  price  for  old  gold.” 

“ Mr.  Montgomery,  watch-maker,  33  Wall  Street,  near  the  Coffee  House, 
takes  orders  for  Thomas  Reynolds  of  Phil,  from  those  who  want  their  arms, 
crests  or  cyphers  engraved  in  any  kind  of  stone  for  seals.” 

“ Carv  Dunn,  gold  and  silver  smith,  has  removed  from  the  corner  of 
Crown  Street,  to  the  adjoining  corner  of  Maiden  Lane  and  William  Street, 
No.  31.” 

“ Peter  Bellodiere  has  brought  with  him  from  Paris  a variety  of  articles 
in  the  jewellery  line,  such  as  Gold  Chains,  Bracelets,  and  Watch  Cases,  Dia- 
mond Rings,  Buckles,  Buttons,  and  Pins,  Wedding  Rings  of  a new  inven- 
tion, Gold  Necklaces,  Stock  Buckles,  Snuff  Boxes,  and  Needle  Cases, Spoons, 
Medaillions,  and  Sugar  Stands,  Milk  Pots,  and  Sugar  Tongs,  Knife-handles, 
and  Salt  Cellars,  &c.  He  is  at  No.  23,  the  corner  of  Maiden  Lane  and 
William  St.” 

“ Peter  Maverick,  at  No.  3 Crown  Street,  carries  on  the  seal-sinking, 
engraving, and  copper  plate  printing.  Ladiesmay  havetheir  tea-plate  engraved 
in  the  most  elegant  manner,  resembling  the  flat  chasing,  as  neat  as  in  Europe.” 

Peter  R.  Maverick  (1755-1811),  called  Peter  Maverick  the 
1st,  was  originally  a silversmith ; his  son  Peter  Maverick 
(1781-1831)  etched  and  engraved  many  book-plates. 


60 


OLD  PLATE. 


In  the  early  history  of  Philadelphia  mention  is  made  of 
several  workers  in  metal.  “ Silversmiths  received  from 
half-a-crown  to  three  shillings  an  onnce  for  working  silver, 
and  for  gold  equivalent.” 

In  the  accounts  of  Penn,  Csesar  Griselm  is  mentioned  as 
a goldsmith  (it  is  probably  his  mark  on  one  of  the  alms 
basons  at  Christ  Church).  D.  Vaughn,  a watch-maker,  and 
Francis  Richardson  received  £2  for  a pair  of  Buckles  for 
Loetitia. 

Money  scales  and  weights  were  made  by  James  Allen, 
goldsmith,  in  1719.  Among  the  tradesmen  admitted  to  the 
freedom  of  the  city  in  1717  and  1718  were  Francis  Rich- 
ardson, William  England,  and  Edward  Hunt,  goldsmiths. 
In  1767  the  silversmiths  of  Philadelphia  petitioned  for  the 
establishment  of  an  assay-office  to  regulate,  assay,  and  stamp 
gold  and  silver. 

The  act  was  prepared,  and  on  being  twice  returned  by 
the  governor  to  the  Assembly,  it  was  agreed  by  a large 
majority  not  to  further  press  it.  It  therefore  fell  through. 
No  trace  is  left  as  to  the  tenor  or  wording  of  the  bill,  save 
that  an  inspector  was  to  have  been  appointed. 

The  goldsmiths,  silversmiths,  and  jewelers  were  repre- 
sented in  the  Federal  procession  of  1788.  (Pennsylvania 
Gazette , July  9,  1788.)  “ William  Ball,  Esq.,  senior  member, 
with  a silver  urn.  Standard  bearers,  Messrs.  Joseph  Gee 
and  John  Germon,  carrying  a silk  flag,  with  the  goldsmiths’ 
arms  on  one  side  — motto : Justitia  Virtutum  Regina ; and 
on  the  reverse  the  Genius  of  America,  holding  in  her  hand 
a silver  urn,  with  the  following  motto : The  Purity , Bright- 
ness, and  Solidity  of  this  Metal  is  emblematical  of  that  Liberty 
ivhich  we  expect  from  the  New  Constitution her  head 
surmounted  by  fourteen  stars,  ten  of  them  very  bright, 
representing  the  States  which  have  ratified ; two  less  bright, 
descriptive  of  New-York  and  North  Carolina,  whose  ratifi- 
cations are  shortly  expected ; one  with  three  dark  points 
and  two  light  ones,  an  emblem  of  Rhode  Island,  and  one 
with  equal  luster  with  the  first  ten,  just  emerging  from  the 
horizon,  near  one-half  seen,  for  tire  rising  State  of  Ken- 
tucky. 


PROVIDENCE. 


61 


“After  which  followed  the  rest  of  the  masters,  with  the 
journeymen  and  apprentices,  in  all  thirty-five 

In  Lancaster,  in  1786, there  were  five  silversmiths ; Pitts- 
burg, in  1791,  contained  thirty-seven  manufacturers,  and 
among  these  in  1808  were  five  watch  and  clock  makers  and 
silversmiths. 

The  manufacture  of  silver-ware,  which  had  been  com- 
menced in  Providence,  soon  after  the  Revolution,  by 
Messrs.  Saunders,  Pitman,  and  Cyril  Dodge,  employed  four 
establishments  in  that  town  in  1795.  These  belonged  to 
Nehemiah  Dodge,  Ezekiel  Burr,  John  C.  Jenckes,  and 
Pitman  & Dorrance,  who  were  chiefly  engaged  in  the  man- 
ufacture, on  a limited  scale,  of  silver  spoons,  gold  beads, 
and  finger-rings. 

Jabez  Glorham,  born  in  Providence  in  1792,  was  descended 
from  John  Glorham,  who  came  from  Northamptonshire,  Eng- 
land, in  1643,  and  settled  at  Plymouth.  At  the  age  of  fifteen 
he  was  apprenticed  to  Nehemiah  Dodge,  and  commenced 
business  soon  after  attaining  his  majority.  After  various 
changes  his  son,  John  Glorham,  was  admitted  into  the 
business,  and  he  was  the  founder  of  the  Glorham  Manufac- 
turing Company,  the  largest  producers  of  art  silver-work 
on  the  continent.  The  manufactory  is  still  on  the  same 
ground,  a portion  of  which  was  once  occupied  by  the  shop 
of  Jabez  Glorham. 


CHAPTER  VII 

ECCLESIASTICAL  PLATE. 

CHALICES  AND  PATENS  — ELIZABETHAN  COMMUNION  CUPS  — FLAGONS  — 
ALMS  BASONS  — CANDLESTICKS. 


HE  preceding  chapters  have  dealt  with  the  marks 
by  which  the  age  and  authenticity  of  ancient 
plate  may  he  verified,  and  it  is  time  to  turn  to 
what  remains  of  the  possessions  of  our  ancestors, 
and  to  see  what  additional  information  may  be  gathered 
from  its  fashion  or  other  circumstances. 

It  will  be  convenient  to  divide  the  subject  into  two  por- 
tions, devoting  the  present  chapter  to  ecclesiastical  plate, 
and  reserving  decorative  and  domestic  plate  for  separate  ' 
consideration. 

It  is  difficult  to  realize  the  splendor  of  the  display  that 
would  have  met  the  eye  of  him  who  entered  one  of  the 
great  cathedrals,  or  wealthy  parish  churches,  on  any  high 
festival  day  in  the  three  or  four  centuries  that  preceded  the 
Reformation.  As  we  have  seen,  the  church  was  the  nurs- 
ing-mother of  the  arts,  which  lent  themselves  in  their  turn 
to  the  advancement  of  her  services ; the  monks  were  the 
goldsmiths  of  the  middle  ages ; what  wonder,  then,  that  the 
wealth  of  gold  and  silver  in  its  shrines  and  treasuries  was 
immense,  so  immense  as  to  be  almost  incredible ! 

The  misfortunes  that  befell  the  church  during  the  wars 
and  revolutions  of  Europe  have  left  very  few  of  these  treas- 


62 


CHALICES. 


63 


ures;  Gothic  chalices  and  their  patens,  remains  of  pre- 
Reformation  art,  are  rare.  Communion  cups  and  covers  of 
the  reign  of  Edward  III.,  made,  no  doubt,  of  the  materials 
afforded  by  some  more  ancient  chalices,  are  as  scarce ; but 
of  those  made  in  the  first  years  of  Queen  Elizabeth  a multi- 
tude of  examples  are  to  be  found.  From  this  time  flagons, 
of  shapes  varying  with  their  date,  alms  and  baptismal 
basons,  and  candlesticks  are  more  or  less  common.  Art  in 
these  matters  appears  to  have  steadily  declined  from  the 
middle  of  the  xvi.  to  the  middle  of  the  present  century,  when 
a reaction  has  directed  attention  to  the  examples  that  Gothic 
art  has  left  for  our  study  and  guidance. 

Modern  reproductions  of  these,  in  some  cases  admir- 
able, in  others  still  leave  much  to  be  desired;  a slavish 
adherence  to  ancient  models  that  cannot  be  surpassed 
would  be  better  than  the  bastard  results  of  coupling  pure 
Gothic  form  with  inappropriate  ornamentation,  or  of  adapt- 
ing beautiful  Gothic  adornment  to  articles  of  tasteless 
modern  shape. 

CHALICES. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  Church,  chalices  were,  no  doubt, 
formed  of  various  materials,  some  of  them  simple  and  quite 
the  reverse  of  costly.  But  in  process  of  time  objections 
were  found  to  these ; wood  was  porous  and  liable  to  absorb 
a portion  of  the  sacred  element  placed  therein ; horn  was  an 
animal  substance  and  so  formed  by  blood ; glass,  crystal, 
and  precious  stones  were  all  brittle  and  liable  to  fracture ; 
and  at  length  the  precious  metals  alone  were  allowed  to  be 
employed.  It  was  decreed  by  the  Council  of  Rheims,  in 
847,  that  if  not  of  gold,  chalices  should  be  wholly  of  silver ; 
tin  being  allowed  only  in  cases  where  means  to  provide  any- 
thing better  were  wanting.  Other  materials  were  forbidden 
altogether. 

The  history  of  the  shape  and  design  of  the  chalice  is  not 
without  interest.  The  earliest  examples  which  have  sur- 
vived, either  in  actual  material  or  in  drawings,  were 
evidently  devised  from  classic  models  and  represented  a 
form  of  elegantly  shaped  two-handled  cups,  such  as  is 


i,  about  1520.  Spanish,  1549.  German,  xv.  century.  German,  xiv.  century. 

NO.  2. — CHALICES,  SOUTH  KENSINGTON  MUSEUM,  LONDON. 


CHALICES. 


65 


familiar  to  ns  in  Greek  or  Roman  design.  In  short,  at  first 
it  was  an  ordinary  two-handled  drinking-vessel. 

Bnt  as  the  idea  of  the  drinking-vessel  became  less  promi- 
nent, as  the  Commnnion  became  less  of  a snpper  and  more 
of  a symbolical  rite  of  tasting  the  consecrated  wine,  the 
chalice  assumed  a form  of  its  own,  which  in  its  main  fea- 
tures was  fixed  about  the  xi.  century,  though  the  refine- 
ment of  its  design  was  not  matured  until  later. 

The  constituents  of  the  chalice  at  this  period  were  a hemi- 
spherical bowl,  a wide  spreading  base,  and  a stalk  with  a 
large  knob  on  it,  half- 
way between  the  base 
and  the  bowl,  for  better 
convenience  and  secur- 
ity in  grasping.  This 
knob  — or  uknop”  as  it 
is  generally  called — is  a 
distinguishing  feature  in 
the  chalice  form  of  cup, 
and  was  often  very 
beautifully  and  richly 
decorated.  The  chalice 
retained  this  form  until 
near  the  xiv.  century  — 
the  continued  persist- 
ence in  the  conservation 
of  one  type  of  design  be- 
ing doubtless  due  to  an 
idea  that  the  form  had 
been  fixed  by  ecclesiasti- 
cal rule  and  precedent. 

In  the  xiv.  century  the  chalices  were  made  taller,  the 
bowls  assuming  a decidedly  conical  form,  being  narrow  at 
the  bottom,  and  having  the  sides  sloping  straight  outwards. 

In  the  xv.  century  they  were  usually  broader  at  the  bot- 
tom, with  the  sides  still  forming  part  of  a cone,  like  that  at 
Nettlecombe,  County  Somerset,  England. 

This  chalice,  together  with  those  now  preserved  at  Trinity 
and  Corpus  Christi  Colleges,  Oxford,  have  been  selected  as 


NO.  3. — CHALICE  (1479);  NETTLECOMBE, 
CO.  SOMERSET. 


66 


OLD  PLATE. 


illustrations  chiefly  because  of  their  beauty  and  merit,  but 
also  for  the  reason  that  they  are  all  three  hall-marked,  and 
their  dates,  therefore,  approximately  known. 

The  Nettlecombe  chalice  and  its  paten  were  brought  to 
light  by  Mr.  Octavius  Morgan  some  years  ago,  and  are  of 

the  greatest  inter- 
est, not  only  from 
their  beauty  and 
perfect  condition, 
but  from  their  an- 
tiquity, for  they  are 
older  than  any  oth- 
er hall-marked  En- 
glish goldsmith’s 
work.  They  are 
described  by  Mr. 
Morgan  as  follows : 

t!  The  Chalice  and  Pa- 
ten are  of  silver  gilt. 
Their  forms  are  elegant; 
both  were  originally  or- 
namented with  enamels, 
and  although  they  have 
been  in  use  for  many 
The  chalice  stands  very 
nearlysix  inches  high.  The  bowl  is  in  form  between  a cone  and  a hemisphere; 
that  is,  the  bottom  is  broad  and  round,  while  the  sides  continue  straight  and 
conical,  a form  which  is  rather  indicative  of  its  date.  The  bowl  is  sup- 
ported on  a hexagonal  stem  divided  into  two  portions  by  the  knop,  which 
is  a beautiful  piece  of  goldsmith’s  work,  formed  by  the  projection  from  the 
angles  of  the  stem  of  six  short  square  arms,  each  terminating  in  a lion’s  mask, 
and  having  the  intermediate  spaces  filled  up  with  elegant  flowing  Gothic  tracery 
of  pierced  open  work.  The  lower  part  of  the  stem  rests  on  a curved  hex- 
agonal foot,  being  united  to  it  by  Gothic  mouldings,  and  the  foot  terminates 
in  an  upright  basement  moulding,  which  is  enriched  with  a small  vertically 
reeded  band.  One  of  the  six  compartments  of  the  foot  was  ornamented,  as 
is  usual  in  ancient  chalices,  by  a representation  of  the  Crucifixion. 

“ The  metal  of  this  compartment  has  been  cut  out,  and  a silver  plate,  en- 
graved with  the  Crucifixion,  has  been  rudely  riveted  in.  This  silver  plate 
is,  I think,  the  original  work,  and  it  was  formally  enameled  — for  it  would 
probably  have  been  found  easier,  and  more  convenient,  to  prepare  the 


NO.  4. — PATEN  (1479);  NETTLECOMBE,  CO.  SOMERSET. 

centuries,  they  have  sustained  but  little  injury. 


PATENS. 


67 


enamel  on  a small  separate  plate,  and  then  fix  it  in  its  place,  than  to  have 
subjected  the  whole  chalice  to  the  heat  of  the  enameler’s  furnace,  which 
must  have  been  the  case  had  the  enamel  been  done  on  the  foot  itself.  The 
silver  plate  is  deeply  engraved,  or  rather  the  metal  is  tooled  out  to  receive 
transparent  enamel  in  the  style  of  the  work  of  the  xiv.  or  the  beginning  of 
the  xv.  century,  and  small  traces  of  the  enamel  with  which  it  has  been  filled 
may  still  be  discovered.  It  will  be  seen  at  once  that  the  design  was  made 
for  the  place  from  the  peculiar  attitude  of  the  figure,  the  arms  being  drawn 
up  over  the  head,  to  adapt  it  to  the  form  of  the  compartment. 

“ The  paten  is  4 7-8  in  diameter,  with  a narrow  moulded  edge  and  a 
brim  like  an  ordinary  plate,  within  which  is  sunk  a six-lcbed  depression. 
The  centre  points  from  which  the  workmen  formed  the  lobes  are  still  visible, 
and  the  spandrels  between  the  lobes  are  filled  with  a small  radiating  orna- 
ment, as  is  usual  in  similar  early  patens.  In  the  centre  is  a still  further  de- 
pression, in  which  has  been  inserted,  from  the  back,  a small  silver  plate  having 
in  transparent  enamel,  sunk  in  the  metal,  a representation  of  the  vernicle, 
or  face  of  oui  Saviour,  surrounded  by  a cruciform  nimbus.  It  fortunately 
remains  perfect.  This 
central  depression,  with 
an  inserted  plate  of 
enamel,  is  very  unusual, 
the  surface  of  patens  be- 
ing usually  made  as 
smooth  as  possible. 

The  back  of  this  small 
plate  is  gilt  and  engrav- 
ed with  the  sacred  mon- 
ogram (see  illustration) 
in  black-letter  of  the  xv. 
century.” 

Such  patens 
were  usually  made 
to  match  the  chal- 
ices with  which 
they  were  used, 
and  the  two  were 
sometimes  called 
“ a pair  of  chalice,” 
or  “ chalice  with  his  paten,”  in  old  inventories  of  church 
goods.  The  depression  of  the  paten  often  exactly  fitted 
into  the  top  of  its  chalice  if  placed  upon  it.  The  date  of  this 


68 


OLD  PLATE. 


NO.  6. — PATEN  ; TRINITY  COLLEGE,  OXFORD. 


chalice  is  almost  certainly  1479,  though,  from  the  want  of 
examples,  it  was  difficult  for  a long  time  to  positively  assign 
the  date-letter  which  it  plainly  hears  to  that  year.  This 
letter  was  formerly  supposed  to  stand  for  the  year  1459,  but 
the  many  points  of  resemblance  between  this  and  the  gold 
chalice  given  by  Bishop  Fox  to  Corpus  Christi  College, 
Oxford,  which  is  undoubtedly  of  the  year  1507,  seem  to 
point  conclusively  to  the  year  1479,  though,  to  judge  from 
the  enameling  alone,  it  might  have  been  of  a somewhat 
earlier  date. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  illustrations  of  Bishop  Fox’s 
chalice,  and  the  chalice  at  Trinity  College,  Oxford,  that  they 
form  a regular  series,  the  cable-like  edges  to  the  stem  and 
the  engraving  on  the  foot  of  the  chalice  of  1507  giving  an 
intermediate  point  between  the  very  beautiful  simplicity  of 
the  earlier  Nettlecom.be  chalice  and  the  later  one  given  by 
Sir  Thomas  Pope  to  Trinity  College,  the  date  of  which  is 
1527.  Much  of  Mr.  Morgan’s  description  of  the  Nettlecombe 
chalice  is  applicable  to  all  the  examples  alike.  Sir  Thomas 
Pope’s  chalice  bears  all  the  ornamentation  of  the  two  older 


ELIZABETHAN  CUPS. 


69 


ones,  and  in  addition  an  elaborately  engraved  inscription 
on  a belt  running  round  the  bowl  of  the  chalice,  and  the 
same  on  the  rim  of  the  paten. 

This  brings  us  to  Protestant  times  and  the  new  form  of 
Communion  cup  introduced  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  or 
rather  of  Edward  VI. 

Cups  of  the  earlier  reign  are  seldom  to  be  found,  but  there 
is  no  lack  of  examples  of  those  of  Elizabethan  date.  They 


are  found  everywhere  and  of  the  same  form,  and  bearing 
the  same  style  of  ornamentation,  from  one  end  of  England 
to  the  other  (see  illustrations).  There  are  sixteen  within  a 
walk  of  Cirencester  (the  home  of  Mr.  Cripps),  and  as  many 
in  one  county  as  another.  Mr.  Morgan  has  given  the  fol- 
lowing account  of  them : 


70 


OLD  PLATE. 


“The  chalice  still  consisted 
of  the  same  parts  — bowl,  stem, 
and  foot  — though  I have 
known  two  instances,  in  small 
parishes,  where  the  chalices 
consist  of  the  cup  only,  with- 
out stem  or  foot.  The  stem, 
although  altered  in  form  and 
character,  still  swells  out  in  the 
middle  into  a small  knop,  or 
the  rudiments  of  one,  and  is 
occasionally  ornamented  with 
small  bands  of  a lozenge-shaped 
ornament,  or  some  other  such 
simple  pattern,  and  the  foot  is 
invariably  round,  instead  of 
indented  or  angular.  The 
form  of  the  cup,  however,  is 
altogether  changed,  and  instead 
of  being  a shallow,  wide  bowl, 
it  is  elongated  into  the  form  of 
an  inverted  truncated  cone 
slightly  bell-shaped.  The 
form  of  the  paten  is  also  much 
changed,  the  sunk  part  of  the 
platter  is  often  considerably 
deepened,  the  brim  narrowed, 
and  thereon  is  fixed  a rim  or 
edge  by  which  it  is  made,  when 
inverted,  to  fit  in  the  cup  as  a 
cover,  whilst  a foot  is  added 
to  it  which  serves,  also,  as  a handle  to  the  cover,  as  though  it  were  intended 
to  place  the  wine  in  the  chalice  and  cover  it  with  the  paten-cover  until  the 
administration  of  the  sacrament,  when  the  cover  would  be  removed  and  used 
as  a paten  for  holding  the  bread.  On  the  bottom  of  the  foot  of  the  paten 
was  a silver  plate  which  almost  always  bore  the  date  when  it  was  made,  and 
the  name  of  the  parish  to  which  it  belongs.  The  ornamentation  on  all  these 
chalices  and  paten-covers,  as  they  may  be  called,  is  invariably  the  same  ; it 
consists  simply  of  an  engraved  band  round  the  body  of  the  cup  and  on  the 
top  of  the  cover,  formed  by  two  narrow  fillets  which  interlace  or  cross  each 
other,  with  a particular  curvature  in  every  instance  the  same,  the  space 
between  them  being  occupied  by  a scroll  of  foliage  ; and  this  ornament  is 
marked  by  a total  absence  of  letters,  monograms,  emblems  or  figures  of  any 


NO.  8.— COMMUNION  CUP  (1570)  ; CIRENCESTER. 


COMMUNION  CUPS. 


71 


kind.  It  is  curious  how  this  exact  uniformity  of  shape  and  ornament  was  so 
universally  adopted,  unless  there  had  been  some  regulation  or  standard 
pattern  to  go  by  ; but  I have  not  been  able  to  find  any  such  to  guide  the 
maker.” 

No  two  are  exactly  alike  in  size  or  finish ; there  is  every- 
thing, from  the  tiny  cnp  of  some  milage  church,  weighing 
no  more  than  five  or  six  ounces  and  destitute  of  all  orna- 
ment, up  to  a tall  vessel  a foot  high,  holding  nearly  a quart 
of  wine,  and  fully  ornamented,  some  few  having  a second 
belt  around  the  cup.  The  same  pattern  found  favor  to 
about  the  middle  of  the  xvn.  century ; but  in  examples  of  a 
later  date  than  1600  the  engraved  belt  is  sometimes  want- 
ing, and  the  bowls  are  perhaps 
rather  straighter  sided. 

Between  1610  and  1650  the 
cup  is  often  found  shaped  some- 
thing like  the  letter  Y,  and 
supported  by  a baluster  stem. 

An  illustration  is  given  of  an 
example  of  this  kind  and  date, 
together  with  other  pewter 
Communion  vessels  of  the  pe- 
riod, which  are  much  like  those 
made  of  more  precious  metal 
at  the  same  time. 

Of  the  Commonwealth  pe- 
riod are  found  a few  Commu- 
nion cups,  which  seem  to  have 
been  fashioned  after  the  bet- 
ter pre-Reformation  models. 

They  have  the  six-sided  foot, 
but  the  bowls  are  deeper  and 
straighter  than  those  of  the 
G-othic  period. 

From  about  the  time  of  the  Restoration  a ruder  fashion 
prevailed;  many  cups  are  then  found  of  great  size,  with 
straight  sides  having  somewhat  of  a lip,  and  mounted  on 
a plain  circular  stem  and  foot,  wholly  unrelieved  by  any 
ornament,  save  that  the  stem  perhaps  swells  out  at  its 


NO.  9. — COMMUNION  CUP  (1569)  FROM 
THE  COLLECTION  OF  THE  LATE 
MR.  C.  WILLYS  BETTS. 


72 


OLD  PLATE. 


center  into  a simple  boss  or  ring  as  plain  as  the  rest  of 
it.  The  paten-cover  fitting  on  is  still  found,  as  on  those 
at  Westminster  Abbey,  dated  1660,  and  in  many  Ameri- 
can churches.  Another  pattern  in  vogue  then  and  later 
had  an  even  ruder  stem  and  foot  all  in  one,  it  being 
merely  a truncated  cone,  somewhat  of  the  shape  of  the 
bowl  of  an  Elizabethan  Communion  cup  turned  upside 
dowu,  and  attached  to  the  bottom  of  the  cup. 

Before  we  leave  the  xvi.  and  xvn.  centuries  note  must 
not  be  omitted  of  other  cups,  of  quite  exceptional  forms, 


NO.  10.  — PEWTER  COMMUNION  VESSELS,  CIRCA,  1610. 

which  are  occasionally  found,  some  of  great  excellence; 
these  have,  no  doubt,  been  originally  secular  drinking- 
cups,  but  since  devoted,  by  the  piety  and  liberality  of 
their  owners,  to  more  sacred  purposes. 

Perhaps  the  most  beautiful  of  all  such  vessels  is  the 
crowned  beaker  at  S.  Mary’s,  Burlington,  N.  J.  Mr. 
Cripps  writes : 


CUPS  USED  AS  CHALICES. 


73 


“ The  beaker  is  not  a very  early 
one,  late  in  the  xvii.  century,  1 fancy  ; 
but  it  is  not  English;  if  not  German 
or  Dutch,  it  has  been  copied  from  a 
German  or  Dutch  piece.” 

Among  the  notes  on  ves- 
sels belonging  to  churches, 
especially  Boston  churches, 
will  be  found  descriptions  of 
many  beakers  and  tankards, 
also  of  the  Hanap,  or  stand- 
ing cup,  presented  by  Gov. 
John  Winthrop  to  “ye  First 
Church.” 

It  is  interesting  to  find 
examples,  and  fine  examples 
too,  of  secular  drinking-cups 
amongst  the  old  possessions 
of  our  churches.  It  may, 
perhaps,  be  thought  by  some 
of  the  present  day  inappro- 
priate to  use  such  vessels  for 
the  sacred  purposes  to  which 
their  former  owners  have 
dedicated  them ; but  surely 
they  should  be  carefully 
treasured  and  preserved  in- 
stead of  exchanged,  as  they 
too  often  are,  for  articles  of 
modern  design  that  cannot 
be  thought  of  without  a 
shudder.  Less  suitable  they 
may  seem  to  a few,  for  their 
present  use,  than  such  models 
of  mediaeval  art  as  the  chal- 
ices at  Nettlecombe  or  at 
Oxford ; but  they  have  an 
interest  and  a value  of  their 
own  that  can  never  attach 


NO.  11. — COMMUNION  CUP  AND  PATEN-COVER 
(1570)  ; CHRISTCHURCH,  CO.  MONMOUTH. 


74 


OLD  PLATE. 


to  the  brand-new  vessels,  decorated  with  sham  jewels  and 
xix.  century  filigree-work,  that  are  too  often  obtained  in 
exchange  for  them.  At  the  commencement  of  the  xvm. 
century  cups  were  made  very  upright  and  always  perfectly 
plain. 

Queen  Anne  presented  most  of  the  American  churches  of 
that  day  with  silver  altar  vessels.  These  are  even  now  in 
use  at  Trinity,  New- York ; S.  Peter’s,  Albany;  “to  Her 
Indian  Chappel  of  the  Onandawgus  ” ; while  those  “ to  Her 

Indian  Chappel  of  the 
Mohawks  ” have  gone 
with  the  tribe  to 
Brantford  and  Deser- 
onto,  Canada ; Christ, 
Philadelphia ; S.  Ma- 
ry’s, Burlington ; S. 
Peter’s,  Westchester; 
Christ,  Rye ; S.  Pe- 
ter’s, Perth  Amboy; 
S.  G-eorge’s,  Hemp- 
stead ; and  at  S. 
Paul’s, Wickford,  R.  I. 

King  William  and 
Queen  Mary  had  pre- 
viously given  a ser- 
vice “for  ye  use  of 
their  Majties  Chappell 
in  N.  England,”  1694 ; 
that  is,  King’s  Chap- 
el, Boston.  This  set 
was  divided  equally 
between  Christ  Church,  Cambridge,  and  S.  Paul’s  Church, 
Newbury  port,  on  the  arrival  of  a more  valuable  service, 
in  1772.  They  had  presented  a service  to  Trinity  Church, 
New-York,  the  same  year  (1694).  A magnificent  service, 
with  the  date-letter  for  1695,  at  S.  Anne’s,  Annapolis,  bears 
the  royal  arms  and  the  initials  W.  R. 

The  plate  at  Christ  and  Trinity  Churches,  Boston,  was 
presented  by  King  George  II.  while  the  services  at  Ports- 


NO.  12. — BOOK  PLATE  OP  SOCIETY. 


FLAGONS. 


75 


mouth,  N.  H. ; S.  Michael’s,  Charleston,  S.  C. ; and  plate  at 
Trinity,  New- York,  hear  the  royal  arms  and  initials,  G-.  R., 
of  King  George  II.  or  King  George  III. 

The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign 
Parts  gave  a chalice  and  paten  to  Trinity  Church,  Newport, 
1702,  and  to  Grace  Church,  Jamaica,  in  1704. 

During  troublous  times  the  destruction  of  plate  was  not 
confined  to  European  countries.  In  a history  of  the  Epis- 
copal Church , Bishop  Perry  writes : 

“ In  Virginia,  where,  prior  to  the  Revolutionary  struggle,  there  were  up- 
ward of  one  hundred  and  sixty  churches  and  chapels,  with  nearly  a hundred 
clergymen  ministering  at  their  altars,  the  close  of  the  contest  found  ninety-five 
parishes  extinct,  and  of  the  remainder  nearly  one-half  were  without  minis- 
trations. Less  than  thirty  clergymen  remained  at  their  posts  when  the  war 
had  ceased.  Many  of  the  churches  had  been  closed,  or  converted  to  other 
uses,  or  else  destroyed.  The  sacramental  vessels  even  had  been,  in  many 
cases,  taken  by  sacrilegious  hands  and  devoted  to  unholy  purposes.  Here, 
as  elsewhere,  the  Church  was  well-nigh  extinct.” 

Nearly  a hundred  years  after,  this  state  of  affairs  was 
repeated,  though  in  a less  degree.  Many  of  the  vessels 
then  taken  have  since  been  restored. 

FLAGONS,  ETC. 

The  earliest  of  these  are  of  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  and 
succeeding-,  as  they  did,  the  vials  and  cruets  of  earlier  days, 
one  of  which  was  for  wine  and  the  other  for  water,  they  are 
usually  found  in  pairs,  although  a single  vessel  of  the  kind 
would  have  been  all  that  was  actually  necessary,  even  to 
bring  to  the  church  the  larger  quantity  of  wine  that  was 
now  used.  Flagons  were  probably  not  so  invariably  made 
of  silver  as  were  chalices.  The  church-wardens  of  Wing, 
county  Bucks,  England,  are  found  in  1576  paying: 

“For  a tynne  wyne  bottell  for  the  churche  xviij.,  d.,”  and  in  1605  the 
authorities  of  Leverton  “ij.  s.  vi.  d.  for  a puter  communion  pott.” 

The  word  “pott”  will  be  found  in  the  canons  of  1603,  by 
which  (canon  20)  the  wine  was  required  to  be  brought  to 


76 


OLD  PLATE. 


the  Communion  table  in  “ a clean  and  sweet  standing  pot 
or  stoup  of  pewter,  if  not  of  purer  metal.” 

The  “ round-bellied  ” flagons  (as  they  are  called  in  a MS. 
inventory  of  the  plate  of  S.  George’s  Chapel,  Windsor)  of 
this  period  are  succeeded  by  the  familiar  tankard  pattern 
which  has  ever  since  been  in  use. 

The  flagon  from  Christ  Church,  Cambridge  (see  illustra- 
tion) would  serve  as  a representation  of  most  of  these  ves- 
sels to  be  found  in  our  churches,  so  much  alike  are  they  in 

size,  shape,  and  style,  not 
only  of  those  that  were  sent 
over  from  the  mother  coun- 
try, but  of  those  of  native 
makers.  They  are  also  of 
the  shape  and  character  of 
the  pewter  example  al- 
ready noticed,  which  is  of 
1640,  or  thereabouts. 

The  jug-shaped  flagon 
is  occasionally  found  in 
the  xvin.  century ; that 
at  S.  Peter’s,  Lewistown, 
Del.,  is  evidently  copied 
from  a “tankard”  by  a 
native  maker. 

The  word  “ flagon  ” 
seems  to  have  been  always 
appropriated  to  a vessel  in- 
tended to  hold  wine,  and 
has  therefore  been  continued  to  those  Communion  vessels 
which  would  otherwise  be  more  appropriately  called  “ tank- 
ards,” or  “ pots,”  as  in  the  language  of  the  canons  of  1603. 

The  very  derivation  of  the  word  connects  it  with  “flask,” 
and  with  the  traveling  bottles  or  costrels  suspended  by 
a cord  or  chain,  similar  to  what  are  now  called  “pilgrims’ 
bottles.  ” 

Basons  in  great  number,  whatever  they  may  have  been 
used  for,  are  mentioned  in  the  church  inventories  of  1552 
and  other  years.  In  England  alms  basons  earlier  than 


NO.  13.  —COMMUNION  FLAGON  (1604)  ; 
CHRIST  CHURCH,  CAMBRIDGE,  MASS. 


CANDLESTICKS. 


77 


1635  are  unknown.  Alms  and  christening,  or  baptismal, 
basons  are  plentiful  in  this  country.  The  alms  basons  in 
the  early  part  of  the  xviii.  century  are  universally  equal  in 
diameter  to  the  height  of  the  flagon,  where  they  form  part 
of  a complete  set,  like  those  at  Trinity  Church,  New- York, 
or  S.  Anne’s,  Annapolis. 

The  Candlesticks  in  use  before  the  Reformation  were 
generally  in  pairs,  and  made  of  latten,  or  of  copper-gilt; 
often  they  were  of  silver.  Such  a pair  is  found  among 
the  plate  of  Henry  Fitzroy,  Duke  of  Richmond  and  natural 
son  of  Henry  VIII.,  in  1527,  described  as  follows : 

“Pair  of  candelstikkes  chaced  wretlien  for  an  aulter, 
weing  lxxviij.  oz.  iii.  qts.  Another  pair,  lxiij.  oz.  iij.  qts.  ” 

They  have  all  entirely  disappeared  ; those  which  were  of 
intrinsic  value  in  the  time  of  Edward  VI.  and  those  made 
of  commoner  materials  were  destroyed  as  “ monuments  of 
superstition,”  in  the  early  years  of  Elizabeth.  Pricket  can- 
dlesticks, or  candlesticks  with  an  upright  spike  upon  which 
to  place  a large  candle,  are  found  amongst  the  plate  of  for- 
eign cathedrals,  but  are  seldom  older  than  1660,  and  still 
seldomer  of  any  artistic  interest. 


CHAPTER  VIII 


DECORATIVE  AND  DOMESTIC  PLATE. 


Obsolete  Vessels  — Spoons  — Mazers  — Salts  — Stoneware  Jugs  — Ew- 
ers, Basins,  and  Salvers — Standing  Cups  and  Hanaps — Tankards  — 
Smaller  Cups  of  various  kinds  — Plates  — Forks  — Monteiths  — Can- 
dlesticks, Sconces,  etc.  — Toilet  Services,  Casters,  and  Cruet 
Stands  — Tea  and  Coffee  Services,  Kettles,  etc.  — Cake  Baskets 
and  Epergnes. 


ASSING  from  ecclesiastical  to  secular  plate  we 
have  seen,  in  previous  chapters,  the  various 
changes  which  took  place  in  Europe,  and  how 
vast  treasures  were  destroyed  to  supply  means 
to  rulers  and  governments. 

Emerson,  in  “ English  Traits,”  says  of  the  Englishman  of 
to-day,  that  “ he  is  very  fond  of  his  plate,  and  though  he 
may  have  no  gallery  of  portraits  of  his  ancestors,  he  has  of 
their  punch-bowls  and  porringers.  Incredible  amounts  of 
plate  are  found  in  good  houses,  and  the  poorest  have  some 
spoon  or  saucepan,  gifts  of  a godmother,  saved  out  of  better 
times.” 

Gold  plate  is  extremely  rare,  only  five  examples  being 
exhibited  amongst  the  art  treasures  collected  at  South 
Kensington,  in  the  Loan  Collection  of  1862. 

Formerly  it  was  by  no  means  uncommon.  Gold  plate  is 
frequently  mentioned  in  the  Wardrobe  Accounts ; and  in  the 
Introduction  to  the  State  Papers  of  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII. 
a banquet  given  by  that  monarch  is  mentioned,  at  which 

78 


OBSOLETE  VESSELS. 


79 


two  cupboards  (by  which  we  must  understand  a sort  of  side- 
board of  many  stages),  reaching  from  the  floor  to  the  roof, 
were  covered  with  a large  and  varied  assortment  of  vases, 
all  of  massive  gold,  silver-gilt  dishes  of  another  sort  being 
used  for  the  service  of  the  meats. 

An  illustration  of  such  a sideboard,  of  five  stages,  taken 
from  a volume  published  at  Dillingen,  in  1587,  descriptive 
of  the  ceremonies  at  Prague,  when  the  Grand  Duke  Ferdi- 
nand of  Austria  invested  the  Emperor  and  the  Grand 
Dukes  Carl  and  Ernest  with  the  order  of  the  Golden  Fleece, 


NO.  14. — SIDEBOARD  OF  THE  XVI.  CENTURY. 


is  here  reproduced.  The  series  of  receding  steps  not  only 
served  for  the  due  display  of  the  plate,  but  to  indicate  the 
rank  of  the  person  who  used  it ; persons  of  royal  blood 
alone  being  allowed  to  use  dressers  of  five  u degres  ” or 
stages,  whilst  those  of  four  were  appropriated  to  nobles 
of  the  highest  rank,  and  so  on  down  to  stages  of  two,  or 
but  a single  step,  which  were  proper  for  knights-banner- 
ets,  and  unennobled  persons  of  gentle  descent  respectively. 

At  the  wedding  feast  of  Queen  Mary  of  England  a side- 


80 


OLD  PLATE. 


board  of  nine  stages  was  exhibited,  which  was  filled  with 
gold  cups  and  silver  dishes.  Her  husband  sent  to  London 
so  large  a quantity  of  plate  that  it  filled  ninety-seven  chests, 
loaded  on  twenty  carts. 

The  illustration  is  also  valuable  for  the  examples  it  pre- 
sents of  many  quaint  forms  of  plate  then  in  use,  and  fitly 
introduces  a few  words  about  such  obsolete  articles  before 
we  go  on  to  those  that  are  still  found  and  can  be  classed 
under  definite  heads. 

The  tall  tankard  at  the  servitor’s  feet  would,  in  these  days, 
be  called  a “ can,” — a Herman  as  much  as  an  English  word. 
The  large  double  cups  made  to  shut  upon  the  rim  of  each 
other  are  also  noticeable.  These,  too,  are  mentioned  occa- 
sionally in  English  inventories,  and  are  called  “ double  ” or 
“trussing”  cups.  A conspicuous  object  is  the  “nef,”  or 
ship,  which  was  used  in  England  as  well  as  abroad.  The 
name  is  derived  from  the  French  word  “ navette,”  a vessel 
in  the  shape  of  a boat  in  which  incense  is  kept  for  the  altar. 
The  nef  held  spices  and  sweetmeats,  and  was  in  place  of  the 
epergne  of  more  modern  times.  One  is  kept  in  the  Rathaus 
of  Emden,  in  Hanover,  with  masts  and  rigging,  from  the 
hull  of  which  wine  was  drunk ; but  this  piece  is  probably 
not  older  than  the  end  of  the  xvi.  or  early  xvn.  century.  It 
was  sometimes  put  on  wheels.  In  the  inventory  of  jewels 
of  Edward  III.  a ship  of  silver  is  numbered.  It  was  on  four 
wheels,  and  had  gilt  dragons  on  both  ends. 

Like  the  “ nef,”  the  “ just,”  the  “ goddard,”  and  the  “ voi- 
der ” have  all  disappeared  ; but  they  deserve  a passing  word. 
Of  the  “ justa,”  De  Laborde  says  that  it  was  a vase  or  flagon 
for  the  table,  of  an  invariable  size  as  to  capacity,  but  that  its 
form  varied. 

The  “goddard”  seems  to  be  derived  from  the  French 
godet , a sort  of  goblet  or  cup,  often  with  a cover.  The 
“ voyder  ” was  a large  dish  in  which  were  collected  the 
broken  victuals,  which  were  removed  from  the  table  with  a 
large  knife  with  a broad,  flat  blade,  called  the  voyder  knife , 
from  vider  to  empty,  clear,  or  make  void. 

The  “ Boke  of  Nurture,”  by  Hugh  Rhodes,  the  date  of  which 
is  1577,  one  of  the  curious  set  of  hand-books  of  manners 


spoon  s. 


81 


and  etiquette  reproduced  by  the  Early  English  Text  So- 
ciety, speaks  of  these  vessels  as  follows : 

“See  ye  have  Voyders  ready  for  to  avoid  the  morsels  that  they  doe  leave 
on  their  Trenchours.  Then  with  your  Trenchour  Knvfe  take  of  such  frag- 
ments and  put  them  in  your  Voyder,  and  sette  them  downe  cleane  agayne.” 

The  student  of  mediaeval  wills  and  inventories  will  find 
many  other  vessels  mentioned  here  and  there  which  it  is 
difficult  or  impossible  to  identify  with  any  existing  forms. 
What  is  the  cup  called  a “ costard  ” in  one  Bristol  will  of 
1491 ; or  the  article  called  a “ custerd  coffyn  ” in  another  of 
1580  ? A “ chaffar  ” of  silver  for 
“ patrich  mynced”  is  included  in  a 
list  of  plate  of  the  year  1443  (Test. 

Ebor.).  A “little  silver  pot  with 
two  ears,  called  a little  couscience,” 
is  another  carious  entry.  But  as 
we  are  not  primarily  concerned 
with  this  kind  of  inquiry,  it  is  now 
time  to  turn  to  articles  that  may  be 
met  with  by  the  amateur  and  col- 
lector of  the  present  day. 

SPOONS. 

Our  notices  of  domestic  plate 
must  begin  with  spoons  by  right  of 
seniority,  for,  says  the  learned  de 
Laborde,  “ Les  cuillers  son  vieilles, 
je  ne  dirai  pas  coniine  le  monde, 
mais  certainement  autant  que  la 
soupe”  ; after  this  we  shall  not  be 

. , l j 1 j , NO.  15. — MAIDENHEAD  SPOON, 

surprised  to  find  that  amongst  CIKCA>  1540 

the  most  ancient  pieces  of  Eng- 
lish hall-marked  plate  in  existence  are  simple  spoons. 

In  early  days,  when  forks  were  as  yet  unknown,  spoons 
played  an  even  more  important  part  at  meals  than  they  do 
at  the  present  day,  and  persons  of  every  rank  seem  to  have 
striven  to  possess  a spoon,  if  only  a single  one,  of  silver. 


6 


NO.  16.  — SET  OF  THIRTEEN  APOSTLES’  SPOONS  (1626). 


APOSTLES’  SPOON'S. 


83 


The  spoons  of  the  xm.  and  two  following  centuries  seem 
to  have  had  stems  terminating  in  a plain  knob,  or  some- 
times an  acorn.  An  entry  of  1410  (Test.  Ebor.)  de  uno  coc- 
liari  plexibili , seems  to  point  to  a folding-spoon,  as  also  do 
“ my  fonlden  sylver  spoons,  ” in  an  another  will  of  the 
same  century,  and  unmn  coclear  argenti  falden,  in  1432 
(Test.  Ebor.).  The  first  mention  of  spoons,  with  the  image 
of  the  Virgin  — cum  ymaginibus  Beati  Maries  in  fine  eorun- 
dem  — occurs  in  a will  of  1446.  These  were  known  later  as 
“ Maidenhead”  spoons;  they  are  common  enough  in  the 
xvi.  century,  but  not  before. 

The  same  may  be  said  of  Apostles’  spoons,  which  are 
seldom  found  before  1500,  but  were  very  popular  for  a cen- 
tury and  a half  afterwards.  Bishop  Fox’s  spoons,  at  Cor- 
pus Christi  College,  Oxford,  have  owls  on  the  handles. 
These  are  of  1506. 

It  is  a fact  that  for  ages  the  very  first  gift  which  a boy 
or  a girl  received  consisted  of  one  or  more  spoons  — these 
being  the  established  presents  by  sponsors  at  christenings. 
The  spoons  given  were  called  Apostles’  spoons,  because  the 
handle  of  each  was  carved  into  the  figure  of  an  apostle, 
with  his  appropriate  emblem. 

The  practice  was  in  imitation  of  the  heathen,  who  intro- 
duced figures  of  their  gods  upon  almost  every  utensil. 
The  idea,  as  adopted  in  the  middle  ages,  was  excellent ; a 
child  no  sooner  learned  to  feed  himself  — to  use  his  own 
spoon  — than  he  began  to  acquire  a knowledge  of  scrip- 
tural and  ecclesiastical  biography. 

Every  spoonful  of  food  he  received  conveyed,  or  might 
convey,  a useful  lesson  to  his  mind.  This  shows  the  in- 
fluence of  religion  on  the  arts  in  mediseval  times  — how 
ingeniously  ecclesiastical  matters  were  interwoven  with  al- 
most everything ; how  even  a spoon  was  made  to  infuse 
religious  truths  into  the  minds  of  children  while  it  con- 
veyed pap  to  their  mouths. 

In  old  writings  allusions  to  Apostle  spoons  are  common. 
In  the  play  of  King  Henry  VIII.  (Act  v.,  Sc.  2),  Shaks- 
pere  makes  the  King  say  to  Cranmer  that  he  must  stand 
godfather  to  the  young  Princess  Elizabeth. 


84 


OLD  PLATE. 


The  Archbishop  expresses  his  unfitness  for  so  great  an 
honor,  upon  which  Henry,  bantering  him,  says  he  is  afraid 
of  the  expense  of  the  usual  gift  to  a godchild : “ Come, 
come,  my  lord,  you’d  spare  your  spoons.  ” 

Mr.  Hone,  in  his  “Every  Day  Book”  (Yol.  I.,  p.  176), 
writes : 

“ St.  Paul’s  day  being  the  first  festival  of  an  apostle  in  the  year,  it  is  an 
opportunity  for  alluding  to  the  old,  ancient,  English  custom,  with  sponsors, 
or  visitors  at  christenings,  of  presenting  spoons,  called  apostle-spoons,  because 
the  figures  of  the  twelve  apostles  were  chased  or  carved  upon  the  tops  of 
the  handles. 

“ Persons  who  could  afford  it  gave  the  set  of  twelve ; others  a smaller 
number,  and  a poor  person  offered  the  gift  of  one,  with  the  figure  of  the 
saint  after  whom  the  child  was  named,  or  to  whom  the  child  was  dedicated, 
or  who  was  the  patron  saint  of  the  good  natured  donor.  ” 

Ben  Jonson,  in  his  “Bartholomew  Fair,”  has  a character 
saying  “ And  all  this  for  the  hope  of  a couple  of  Apostle 
Spoons,  and  a cup  to  eat  caudle  in.  ” In  the  “ Chaste  Maid 
of  Cheapside,”  by  Middleton,  “Gfossip”  inquires,  “What  has 
he  given  her  ? What  is  it,  Gossip  ? ” Whereto  the  answer 
of  another  “ Gossip  ” is  : “A  faire  high  standing  cup,  and 

two  great  Apostle  spoons  — one  of  them  gilt.  ” Beaumont 
and  Fletcher,  likewise,  in  the  “Noble  Gentleman,”  say: 

“ I’ll  be  a Gossip  Bewford, 

I have  an  odd  apostle  spoon.” 

Old  Apostles’  spoons  are  still  to  be  found,  and  they  are 
of  considerable  value,  from  their  antiquity  and  compara- 
tive rarity.  Only  one  complete  set  (13)  is  known,  that  in 
the  possession  of  the  Goldsmiths  Company,  London  (see 
illustration).  This  set  was  made  in  1626.  Its  great  value 
is  owing  to  the  presence  of  the  rare  “ Master  ” spoon,  and 
to  the  fact  of  the  whole  having  been  made  by  one  maker  at 
the  same  time.  In  choosing  the  apostle,  where  only  one 
spoon  is  given,  it  is  usual  to  take  the  one  whose  anniver- 
sary comes  nearest  on  the  calendar  to  the  christening  day. 
A reference  to  the  various  emblems  by  which  the  apostles 


APOSTLES’  SPOONS. 


85 


are  here  distinguished  will  facilitate  the  identification  of 
individual  figures  found,  in  private  or  public  collections. 

1.  S.  James  the  Less,  with  a fuller’s  bat. 

2.  S.  Bartholomew,  with  a butcher’s  knife. 

3.  S.  Peter,  with  a key,  sometimes  with  a fish. 

4.  S.  Jude,  with  a cross,  a club  or  a carpenter’s  square. 

5.  S.  James  the  Greater,  with  a pilgrim’s  staff  and  a gourd,  bottle  or 

script,  and  sometimes  a hat  with  escallop  shell. 

6.  S.  Philip,  with  a long  staff,  sometimes  with  a cross  in  the  T ; in 

other  cases  a double  cross,  or  a small  cross  in  his  hand,  or  a 

basket  of  fish. 

7.  The  Saviour,  or  “ Master,  ” with  an  orb  and  cross. 

8.  S.  John,  with  a cup  (the  cup  of  sorrow),  with  a serpent  issuing  out 

of  it. 

9.  S.  Thomas,  with  a spear;  sometimes  he  bears  a builder’s  rule. 

10.  S.  Matthew,  with  a wallet,  sometimes  an  axe  and  spear. 

11.  S.  Matthias,  with  an  axe  or  halberd. 

12.  S.  Simon  Zelotes,  with  a long  saw. 

13.  S.  Andrew,  with  a saltire  cross. 

The  figure  of  S.  Paul,  distinguished  by  a sword,  or  some- 
times two  swords,  is  frequently  found,  S.  Jude  being  omit- 
ted from  the  set  of  twelve  to  make  room  for  him,  and  S. 
Luke  and  S.  Mark  occasionally  replace  S.  Simon  and  S. 
Matthias. 

In  the  Byzantine  Manual,  James  the  Less,  Jude  and 
Matthias  are  all  omitted,  their  places  being  taken  by  S. 
Paul,  S.  Luke  and  S.  Mark.  As  to  the  emblems  attributed 
to  each,  there  is  not  much  variation  to  be  noted ; but  the 
saw  is  sometimes  given  to  Jude  as  well  as  to  Simon.  This 
is  the  case  in  the  representations  of  the  apostolic  college 
by  Agostino  Caracci.  As  it  appeared  advisable  to  give  the 
whole  of  these  emblems  on  a single  page,  that  they  might 
be  seen  at  one  view,  an  illustration  is  given  of  a group  of 
three  other  apostle-spoons,  in  order  that  the  general  shape 
and  character  of  such  spoons,  their  bowls  as  well  as  han- 
dles, may  be  clearly  understood. 

The  page  of  spoons  given  by  the  heliotype  process  is 
from  the  magnificent  collection  of  Mrs.  S.  P.  Avery,  loaned 
to  the  Metropolitan  Museum.  They  are  apostle  and  dial- 


86 


OLD  PLATE. 


NO.  17.  — APOSTLES’  SPOONS,  XVI.  CENTURY. 


ice  spoons  of  the  xvn.  and  xviii.  centuries,  of  German  and 
Dutch  manufacture. 

Before  turning  to  the  ordinary  domestic  spoon,  two 
special  spoons  must  he  mentioned ; and  first,  the  coronation 
spoon,  preserved  among  the  regalia  at  the  Tower  of  London. 
The  date  of  this  is  said  to  be  early  in  the  xm.  century ; but, 
even  if  a reproduction  of  an  earlier  spoon,  it  was,  at  all 


THE  PVHSEY  SPOOR. 


87 


events,  remade  for  the  coronation  of  King  Charles  II.,  the 
goldsmith’s  account  for  its  fabrication  being  still  in  ex- 
istence. 

The  other  is  the  ancient  spoon  said  to  have  been  given 
by  King  Henry  VI.,  together  with  his  boots 
and  gloves,  to  the  loyal  Sir  Ralph  Pndsey, 
at  whose  seat,  Bolton  Hall,  that  unfortu- 
nate monarch  concealed  himself  for  some 
weeks  after  the  battle  of  Hexham.  Of 
the  antiquity  of  this  spoon  there  is  no 
doubt,  even  if  its  identity  with  the  spoon 
which  is  the  subject  of  the  historical  tradi- 
tion is  open  to  question.  The  head  of  its 
handle  is  octagonal  (see  illustration),  some- 
what resembling  the  capital  of  a G-othic 
shaft,  and  on  the  flat  top  is  engraved  a 
single  rose,  the  badge  of  the  King.  It  is 
of  the  usual  form  of  ancient  spoons,  and 
the  marks  thereon  are  as  follows : inside 
the  bowl  is  stamped  the  leopard’s  head  — 
and  all  the  ancient  English  spoons  pre- 
vious to  the  Restoration  are  so  marked; 
on  the  back  of  the  stem  is  stamped,  with  a 
punch,  a small  heart  for  maker’s  mark; 
and  above  that  is  the  annual  letter,  also 
stamped  with  a punch.  This  was  long 
supposed  to  be  the  Lombardic  letter  for 
the  year  1445-6,  which  would  certainly 
agree  both  with  the  history  and  the 
make  of  the  spoon ; but  there  is  now 
much  more  known  about  marks,  and 
strong  reason  to  assign  it  to  the  year 
1525-6,  and  to  suppose  that  the  story 
has,  by  some  chance  in  the  course  of 
ages,  transferred  itself  from  the  original 
spoon  to  this  one,  which  is  ancient  enough  to  have  an 
interest  of  its  own,  but  is  not  quite  old  enough  to  have 
belonged  to  King  Henry  VI.  These  accidents  will  some- 
times happen. 


NO.  19. — THE  PUDSEY 
SPOON  (1525). 


88 


OLD  PLATE. 


The  form  of  spoons  used  in  England  seems  to  have  con- 
tinued the  same  from  the  middle  of  the  xv.  century  to  the 
time  of  the  Restoration,  when  a new  fashion  was  introduced, 
which  completely  superseded  the  more  ancient  pattern. 

The  more  ancient  model,  with  its  baluster  and  seal-head- 
ed end,  is  shown  by  No.  1 (see  illustration).  Spoons  of 
this  form,  very  common  from  1585  to  about  1620,  were 


NO.  20. — SPOONS  OP  THE  XVI.,  XVII.,  AND  XVIII.  CENTURIES. 


made  as  late  as  1659,  the  date  of  the  very  latest  known, 
whilst  a specimen  of  the  next  form  (No.  2)  is  found  of  the 
year  1667.  The  shape  was  then  altogether  changed.  The 
stem  and  handle  became  flat  and  broad  at  the  extremity, 
which  was  divided  by  two  clefts  into  three  points,  slightly 
turned  up,  whilst  the  bowl  was  elongated  into  a regular 
ellipse,  and  strengthened  in  its  construction  by  a tongue, 
which  ran  down  the  back.  This  form  of  spoon,  the  handle 
of  which  is  termed  by  French  antiquarians  pied  de  biche,  or 


SPOOFS. 


89 


the  hind’s  foot,  obtained  till  the  reign  of  George  I.,  when  a 
third  fashion  was  introduced.  It  is  a curious  circum- 
stance that  the  first  change  in  form  occurred  at  the  Resto- 
ration, and  the  second  at  the  accession  of  the  House  of 
Hanover.  Did  the  spoons  brought  over  with  the  plate  of 
the  respective  courts,  at  these  periods,  set  the  new 
fashion  f 

In  this  third  form  (No.  3)  the  bowl  was  more  elongated 
and  elliptical,  and  the  extremity  of  the  handle  was  quite 
round,  turned  up  at  the  end,  having  a high,  sharp  ridge 
down  the  middle.  It  continued  to  be  made  certainly  as 
late  as  1767,  but  not  to  the  exclusion  of  other  patterns,  for 
towards  the  end  of  the  reign  of  George  II.  another  new 
fashion  came  into  use,  which  has  continued  to  the  present 
time — the  bowl  became  more  pointed,  or  egg-shaped;  the 
end  of  the  handle  was  turned  down,  instead  of  up;  whilst 
the  tongue,  which  extended  down  the  back  of  the  bowl, 
and  is  so  well  known  by  the  name  of  “ the  rat’s  tail,  ” was 
shortened  into  a drop.  This  is  the  well  known  plain  spoon 
of  common  use  from  1760  or  1765  till  1800,  and  is  called 
by  the  trade  the  “ old  English  ” pattern.  The  fiddle-head- 
ed pattern,  in  which  a sharp  angular  shoulder  was  intro- 
duced on  either  side  of  the  stem,  just  above  the  bowl,  and 
also  near  the  end  of  the  handle,  came  into  vogue  in  the 
early  part  of  the  present  century,  and  still  seems  popular. 

Monkey  spoons,  “ used  for  liquor,  and  so  called  from  the 
figure  of  a monkey  carved  on  the  handle,  ” were  much  used 
in  colonial  days.  They  had  a circular  and  very  shallow 
bowl.  In  an  account  of  the  funeral  of  Philip  Livingston,* 
1749,  we  read : “As  usual  there  was  the  spiced  wine,  and 

each  of  the  eight  bearers  was  given  a pair  of  gloves,  a 
monkey  spoon,  and  a mourning  ring.  ” This  custom  prob- 
ably originated  in  Holland. 

Tea-spoons  follow  the  fashion  of  larger  spoons,  but  are 
not  often  found  before  the  middle  years  of  the  xvm.  cent- 
ury, although  small  spoons  were  known  in  Europe  long 
before  tea,  or  were  used  in  eating  honey,  sugar,  and  fruits 
preserved  in  sugar ; sweetmeats  were  favorite  dainties  in 
former  days. 


Harper’s  Mag.,  March,  1881. 


90 


OLD  PLATE. 


An  extended  account  of  this  domestic  implement,  in  all 
its  forms,  would  require  volumes.  For  further  information 
we  would  refer  the  reader  to  “ The  Transactions  of  the 
Society  of  Literary  and  Scientific  Chiffoniers  ” for  a his- 
tory of  “ The  Spoon  : Primitive,  Egyptian,  Roman,  Medi- 
aeval and  Modern,”  by  # Habbakuk  O.  Westman. 

MAZEES. 

If  spoons  are  as  old  as  soup,  drinking-vessels  have  been 
in  use  as  long  as  spoons ; and  from  spoons  it  is,  therefore, 
convenient  to  pass  to  the  ancient  and  interesting  wine- 
bowls that  are  known  as  mazers. 

It  is  easier  to  say  that  these  were  for  centuries  the  com- 
monest articles  in  domestic  use  than  to  give  a satisfactory 
reason  for  their  being  usually  called  “ murrae,  ” in  medi- 
aeval inventories,  or  to  define  the  material  of  which  they 
were  made.  A reference  to  the  older  English  poets,  or  to 
early  wills  and  the  inventories  which  are  often  appended 
to  them,  will  go  far  to  convince  us  that  mazers  are  merely 
the  best  sort  of  wooden  bowls,  and  that  these  favorite 
drinking- vessels  were  made  of  the  speckled  portions  of  the 
maple- tree,  from  which  they  derived  their  name,  commonly 
bound  with  silver  bands. 

The  Grerman  Maser  is  a spot,  speck,  or  the  grain  of  wood ; 
Maser  hob  is  veined  wood  in  the  same  language ; and 
Maserle , maple  wood,  or  the  maple-tree.  From  this  source 
the  word  mazer  is  clearly  derived.  In  old  inventories  the 
word  is  often  turned  into  an  adjective ; mazer eus  and 
mazeriwus  are  Latin,  and  meslgn,  or  mes silling,  English 
forms  in  which  it  is  found.  The  latter  recalls  the  lines  of 
Chaucer : 

“ They  fet  him  first  the  swete  win, 

And  mede  eke  in  a maselin, 

And  real  spicerie.  ” 

Rhime  of  Sire  Thopas,  v.  13,  780. 

Such  a meslyn  or  mazer  is  described  more  in  detail  by 
Spenser : 

* Probably  the  pseudonym  of  Thomas  Ewbank. 


MAZERS. 


91 


“ A mazer  ywrought  of  the  maple  wood 
Whereon  is  enchased  many  a fair  sight 
Of  bears  and  tigers  that  make  fierce  war.  ” 

Shepherd’s  Calendar,  August. 

It  may  be  noted  that  in  the  reign  of  Edward  III.  the 
manor  of  Bilsington  Inferior  was  held  by  the  service  of 
presenting  three  “ maple”  cups  at  the  King’s  coronation. 
Hone  (Table  Book)  records  that  this  service  was  performed 
by  Thomas  Rider  at  the  coronation  of  Gleorge  III.,  when 
that  King,  on  receiving  the  maple  cups,  turned  to  the 
Mayor  of  Oxford,  who  stood  on  his  right  hand,  and,  having 
received  from  him,  for  his  tenure  of  that  city,  a gold  cup 
and  cover,  gave  him  these  three  cups  in  return. 

Whilst  the  best  and  most  highly  prized  bowls  were  al- 
ways of  maple,  it  is  quite  possible  that  the  term  “ mazer,  ” 
originally-  proper  to  those  of  maple  wood  only,  was  after- 
wards extended  to  all  bowls  of  similar  form,  regardless'  of 
the  materials  of  which  they  were  made.  “ Dudgeon  ” wood, 
whatever  that  may  be,  occurs  in  more  than  one  English 
will;  and  some  have  supposed  that  even  if  the  word 
“ mazer  ” sometimes  signified  maple,  it  was  more  properly 
applied  to  walnut  wood. 

So  much  for  the  names  and  materials  of  these  bowls, 
which  seem  to  have  been  much  valued  in  proportion  to  the 
beauty  of  the  wood  of  which  they  were  made,  the  knots  and 
roots  of  the  maple  being  especially  prized  for  their  veined 
and  mottled  grain.  As  knots  would  not  be  very  thick,  and 
therefore  the  bowls  made  of  them  shallow,  their  depth  was 
increased  by  mounting  them  with  the  high  metal  rim  which 
is  one  of  their  characteristic  features.  This  rim  answered 
the  further  purpose  of  ornamenting  and  adding  to  the  value 
of  choice  specimens  of  wood,  and  it  was  frequently  of  silver 
or  silver-gilt,  and  bore  an  inscription  running  round  it. 

A will  proved  at  York  in  1446  disposes  of  no  less  than 
thirty-three  u murrae  usuales,  ” besides  twelve  “ murrae 
magnse  et  largae,  ” and  two  of  such  importance  as  to  have 
had  names  assigned  to  them.  These  must  almost  neces- 
sarily, judging  by  their  description  and  number,  have  been 
household  requisites.  Others  bore  inscriptions  which  of 


92 


OLD  PLATE. 


NO.  21. — MAZER  (TEMP.  RICHARD  II.) 


themselves  prove,  if  proof  were  needed,  that  they  were  in- 
tended for  wine  cups. 

The  well  known  specimen  in  the  possession  of  E.  P. 
Shirley,  Esq.,  of  Eatington,  bears  the  legend : 

31n  ttje  name  of  tl )t 

jftUe  tfjr  Imp  anD  Drtnfce  to  mr. 

This  cup  is  of  polished  maple,  and  is  said  to  be  of  the 
time  of  Richard  II.  It  is  figured  in  Parker’s  “Domestic 
Architecture  of  the  Middle  Ages,”  from  which  this  illustra- 
tion is  taken. 

In  more  than  one  country  church  a mazer  now  serves 
as  an  alms-disli ; but  perhaps  even  these  were  originally  ac- 
quired for  festive  purposes. 

An  interesting  list  of  instances,  extending  from  the  year 
1080  down  to  about  1600,  and  taken  from  romances,  royal 
accounts,  and  other  sources,  is  given  by  de  Laborde,  under 
the  title  “ Madre,”  in  his  glossary ; while  Mr.  Cripps  (0.  E. 
P.)  gives  a list  of  over  sixty  between  the  years  1253  and 
1592. 

Turning,  meanwhile,  to  extant  specimens,  that  we  may 
see  for  ourselves  what  manner  of  vessels  these  ancient 
bowls  were,  it  is  found  that  within  certain  limits  they  are 
all  very  much  alike.  They  are  of  two  kinds  : large  bowls, 
holding  half-a-gallon  or  more,  usually  standing  on  a foot, 


SAM'S. 


93 


and  smaller  bowls,  about  six  or  seven  inches  across,  which 
are  with  or  without  feet,  as  the  case  may  be. 

A notice  of  mazer-bowls  would  be  incomplete  without 
some  reference  to  another  form  of  wooden  cup  which, 
though  of  considerable  rarity,  is  represented  in  several 
English  collections.  No  less  than  five  of  these  have  come 
under  the  notice  of  the  Society  of  Antiquaries  at  different 
times ; they  all  appear  to  be  of  the  xv.  century,  or  earlier, 
and,  from  their  occurrence  in  German  heraldry,  it  has  been 
thought  probable  that  they  are  chiefly  of  German  and 
Swiss  origin. 

Like  mazers  they  lent  their  peculiar  form  to  vessels 
made  of  other  materials  than  wood,  and  whilst  some  of 
them  are  of  maple  others  are  of  silver-gilt. 

One  such  cup  has  been  in  the  possession  of  the  Rodney 
family  for  centuries,  and  bears  their  arms.  It  is  6£  inches 
high  and  inches  in  diameter  at  the  widest  part.  It 
probably  was  made  for,  and  belonged  to,  Sir  John  Rodney, 
who  was  living  in  1512,  as  the  arms  of  the  Rodney  family 
— three  eagles  displayed  — are  engraved  on  the  top  of  the 
handle  of  the  cover  in  a style  very  an- 
cient, and  not  improbably  coeval  with  the 
make  of  the  cup. 

THE  SALT. 

We  now  come  to  what  was  the  princi- 
pal article  of  domestic  plate  in  English 
houses  of  whatever  degree.  The  massive 
salt-cellar,  which  adorned  the  center  of 
the  table,  served  to  indicate  the  impor- 
tance of  its  owner,  and  to  divide  the  lord 
and  his  nobler  guests  from  the  inferior 
guests  and  menials,  who  were  entitled 
to  places  “below  the  salt”  and  at  the 
lower  ends  of  the  tables  only. 

The  salt  was  contained  in  a large  silver  utensil,  called 
a saler,  now  corrupted  into  cellar,  a further  supply  being 
usually  placed  near  each  person’s  trencher  in  a smaller 


NO.  22.  — SILVER  - GILT 
CUP.  WITH  ARMS  OF 
THE  RODNEY  FAMILY. 


94 


OLD  PLATE. 


salt-cellar,  called  a “trencher”  salt.  There  are  many  allu- 
sions in  the  poets  to  the  distinction  marked  by  the  position 
of  the  salt  amongst  the  guests,  and  to  the  social  inferiority 
of  “humble  cousins  who  sit  beneath  the  salt.”  The  great 
salt  was,  therefore,  an  object  of  considerable  interest,  and 
it  was  often  of  great  magnificence  and  of  curious  device. 

Edmund  Mortimer,  Earl  of  March,  in  1380  had  such  a 
salt-cellar  “in  the  shape  of  a dog”;  John  Earl  of  Warrene’s 
was  in  the  form  of  an  “olifaunt”  (1347);  salt-cellars, 
enameled  or  gilt,  nearly  all  with  covers,  were  found  on 
every  table.  Fifteenth  century  wills  mention  salts  of 
every  shape  and  size  and  kind.  Salts  square,  round,  plain, 
wreathed,  high,  low,  with  covers  and  without,  are  all  found, 
the  words  upro  sale'1'1  being  often  added  to  the  description 
of  the  vessel. 

Salts  formed  as  dragons  occur;  also  those  shaped  as  lions. 
Silver,  silver-gilt  and  “berall”  are  the  materials  of  which 
most  are  made.  Whoever  could  afford  an  article  of  plate, 
beside  his  spoon,  had  it,  in  those  days,  in  his  salt,  even  in 
preference  to  a silver  cup  for  his  own  particular  use. 

A description  of  the  principal  salt  of  Henry  Fitzroy,  Duke 
of  Richmond,  the  natural  son  of  Henry  VIII.,  taken  from 
the  inventory  made  on  his  death  in  1527,  gives  a good  idea 
of  those  which  graced  the  board  of  royalty.  It  was 


“ a sake  of  golde  with  a biak  dragon  and  v perles  on  the  bak  and  upon 
the  fote  iij  course  saphirs,  iij  course  balaces,  xxiij  course  garnisshing  perles, 
and  upon  the  cover  of  the  same  salt  vij  saphirs  or  glasses,  and  iiij  course 
ba-laces,  and  xxxij  garnisshing  perles,  upon  the  knoppe  a white  rose  with  ru- 
byes  and  a pyn  of  silver  to  bere  the  salt  going  through  the  dragon  and  the 
bace  made  fast  to  a plate  of  silver  and  gilt  under  the  said  bace  weing  xxv. 
onz.  di.” 

To  this  may  be  added  that  one  of  his  small  salts  was 

“a  little  salt  of  birrall,  the  cover  and  fote  well  garnisshed  with  golde  stones 
and  perles,  sent  from  my  Ld  Cardinelle  for  a New  Yere’s  gift,  Anno  xixmo, 
with  a ruby  upon  the  cover,  weing  vi.  onz.” 


Another  of  even  less  weight  but  of  no  less  value  was 


STANDING  SALTS. 


95 


“ a sake  of  gold,  supposed  to  be  of  an  unycorn  horn,  welle  wrought  and  sett 
with  perles,  and  the  cover  with  turkasses  sent  from  the  King  by  Mr.  Mag- 
nus, v.  onz.  di.” 


The  little  treatise  of  1500,  entitled  “Ffor  to  Serve  a Lord,” 
directs  how  the  chief  salt-cellar  should  be  placed : 


“ Thenne  here-uppon  the  boteler  or  panter  shall  bring  forthe  his  prynci- 
pall  sake  ...  he  shall  sette  the  saler  in  the  myddys  of  the  tabull 

accordyng  to  the  place  where  the  principall 
soverain  shall  sette  . . . thenne  the 

seconde  sake  att  the  lower  ende 
then  sake  selers  shall  be  sette  uppon  the 
syde-tablys.” 

The  “ Boke  of  Kervyng,”  too, 
directs  that  the  salt  should  be  set 
on  the  right  side,  “where  your 
soverayne  shall  sytte.  ” Further- 
more it  was  not  graceful  to  take 
the  salt  except  with  “the  clene 
knyfe,”  so  says  the  “Young  Child- 
ren’s Book,”  in  1500,  far  less  to  dip 
your  meat  into  the  salt-cellar. 
The  “ Babees  Book”  is  strong  upon 
this  point,  even  a generation  be- 
fore (1475): 

“The  sake  also  touch  not  in  his  salere 

With  nokyns  mete,  but  lay  it  honestly 
On  youre  T rerichoure,  for  that  is  curtesy.” 

Omitting  for  the  present  the 
smaller  trencher  salts,  there  are 

NO.  23. — CYLINDRICAL  SALT  (1613)  p ... 

IMPERIAL  TREASURY,  MOSCOW.  fOlll  pclttOl  IIS  01  Old  English.  Scllt- 

cellars,  of  which  examples  have 


come  down  to  our  time. 

First  come  the  hour-glass  salts  of  the  reigns  of  Henry 
VII.  and  Henry  VIII.,  of  which  some  five  or  six  hall-marked 
specimens  are  known,  besides  one  or  two  undated.  All 
alike  are  hexagonal,  with  raised  lobes  alternately  orna- 


96 


OLD  PLATE. 


mented  and  plain,  and  only  differ  in  the  details  of  the 
decoration. 

By  the  middle  of  the  xvi.  century  we  come  to  the  second 
type.  It  is  the  cylindrical  standing-salt,  with  a cover. 
These  are  sometimes  square  instead  of  cylindrical.  The 
earlier  salts  were  always  covered  to  preserve  the  cleanliness 
of  the  salt,  and  perhaps  to  prevent  the 
introduction  of  poison. 

Among  the  Russian  reproductions  at 
the  Metropolitan  Museum  is  an  English 
salt,  silver  gilt,  of  the  year  1613.  It  has 


“ a cylindrical  pedestal,  with  expanding  base  rest- 
ing on  three  ball-claw  feet.  The  pool  to  hold  the 
salt  is  covered  with  a dome-shaped  cover  support- 
ed by  four  flower-scroll  supports  and  surmounted 
by  a triangular  steeple  supported  on  three  caryated 


no.  24. — salt  (1607),  Christ’s 

HOSPITAL,  LONDON. 


NO.  25.  — OCT.  SALT  (1685), 
MERCER’S  HALL,  LONDON. 


scrolls  and  with  a finial  of  similar  work.  The  decoration,  of  which  there  is 
little,  is  plain,  consisting  of  egg  and  tongue  moulding  or  other  small  ornament 
on  the  collars  and  borders.” 


The  height  is  about  fifteen  inches.  The  Museum  has  also 
a reproduction  of  a large  square  salt  of  this  period.  At 
the  very  end  of  the  xvi.  century  we  find  a circular  bell- 
shaped salt,  a spice-box  in  three  tiers  or  compartments, 
much  in  fashion,  but  only  for  a few  years.  They  are,  no 
doubt,  the  “bell”  salts  of  contemporary  inventories.  The 
specimen  from  which  our  illustration  is  taken  belongs  to 
Christ’s  Hospital,  London,  and  is  fourteen  inches  high. 


SALTS. 


97 


The  two  lower  compartments  form  salt-cellars,  and  the 
upper  one  serves  as  a pepper-caster. 

Next  comes  a simple  and  well  known  form  of  salt,  which 
carries  ns  all  through  the  xvii. 
century.  Some  of  these  are  cir- 
cular, others  are  square  or  octag- 
onal. That  at  Mercer’s  Hall,  Lon- 
don, has  small  projecting  arms 
for  supporting  a napkin,  with 
which  it  became  usual  to  cover 
the  salt-cellar  to  preserve  its 
cleanliness.  The  circular  salt  at 
Harvard  University  has  unfor- 
tunately only  two  marks, — the  lion  passant  and  leopard’s 
head  crowned.  It  is  inscribed 


NO.  26. — CIRCULAR  SALT  (1644) ; 
HARVARD  UNIVERSITY. 


From  a copy  of  the  Records  we  find  the  following  entry : 

* “ 1644  Mr.  Richard  Harris,  a great  silver  salt,  valued  in  1654  at  £5.  1.  3 
at  5s.  per  ounce  ; and  a small  trencher  salt,  valued  in  1654  at  10s.,  £5.  1 1.  3.” 


Last  of  all  must  be  described  the  curious  and  unique 
salt-cellar  made  by  one  Rowe  of  Plymouth,  in  1698-99,  of 
silver  of  the  then  new  Britannia  standard,  formerly  amongst 
the  family  plate  at  Tredegar. 

It  is  built  in  stories  not  unlike  the  “bell”  salts  of  an 
earlier  generation.  On  the  top  will  be  observed  a lantern 
surmounted  by  a scroll-work,  and  terminating  in  a vane, 
and  beneath  the  lantern  a dome  or  cupola  above  an  open 

* “A  Sketch  of  the  History  of  Harvard  College.”  Samuel  A.  Eliot. 


98 


OLD  PLATE. 


arcade  with  a gallery,  within  which  is  a 
depression  for  salt,  the  lantern  itself  being 
perforated  for  ponnded  sugar.  Beneath 
this  gallery  are  three  stories,  the  upper  one 
empty;  the  next  has  a lid  perforated  for 
pepper,  and  the  lowest  story  forms  a larger 
box,  empty,  like  the  uppermost.  There  is 
a winding  outside  staircase,  leading  from 
the  basement  story,  of  masonry  to  the 
upper  story  and  gallery,  and  a little  lad- 
der hangs  on  to  the  foot  of  the  staircase, 
to  reach  down  to  the  rock  on  which  the 
light-house  is  based,  or  the  sea.  It  is  sev- 
enteen inches  in  height,  and  is  an  exact 
model  of  the  first  and  original  Eddystone 
light-house,  erected  by  Winstanley. 

“Trencher”  salts  are  at  first  triangular 
or  circular,  with  a depression  in  their  upper 
surface.  Of  the  former  shape  and  of  simple 
fashion  was  a little  salt  of  1629,  bearing 
no.  27.  — the  eddy-  for  inscription  “John  Lane,  Vintner,  at  ye 
cup  (1698).  Mermaide,  near  (Jnarmg  Crosse,”  which 
was  sold  in  1869  in  the  Hopkinson  col- 
lection for  $100,  and  re-sold  for  no  less  a sum  than  $150  in 
the  Dasent  sale,  only  six  years  afterwards.  Small  circular 
salts  of  1667  are  in  use  at  Cotehele,  and  a set  of  the  year 
1683  are  in  the  possession  of  the  Innholder’s  Company, 
London.  These  and  such  as  these  obtained  till  the  reign 
of  George  II.,  when  a small  circular  salt  standing  upon 
three  feet  came  in,  which  gave  way  in  its  turn  to  the  boat- 

V 

1629.  1667. 

NO.  28. — TRENCHER  SALTS. 

shaped  pattern,  with  pointed  ends,  sometimes  terminating 
in  handles,  so  common  at  the  end  of  the  last  century,  when 
everything  was  made  oval  that  could  by  any  possibility  at 
all  be  got  into  that  shape. 


JUGS. 


99 


STONE-WARE  JUGS. 

There  are  few  collectors  who  have  not  secured  for  their 
cabinets  one  or  more  of  the  mottled  stone-ware  jars  with 
silver  cover  and  neck-monnts,  and  sometimes  also  silver 
foot-band,  which  were  in  vogue  for  the  greater  part  of  the 
xvi.  century. 

The  jugs  themselves  were  imported  from  Germany,  prob- 
ably from  Cologne,  and  were  mounted  by  the  English  sil- 
versmiths. The  earliest  notices  of  them  occur  about  1530 
or  1540,  and  from  that  time  to  the  end  of  the  century  they 
were  common  enough  ; but  they  seemed  then  to  have  gone 
out  of  fashion,  for  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  a single  speci- 
men with  a xvii.  century  hall-mark. 

As  regards  ornamentation,  they  are  all  very  much  alike ; 
the  well  known  Elizabethan  interlaced  fillets,  with  running 
foliage,  are  often  engraved  around  the  neck-bands  of  the 
earlier  ones,  whilst  the  later  specimens  are  more  often  dec- 
orated with  repousse  work. 

A description  of  one  of  those  exhibited  at  South  Kensing- 
ton in  1862  will  give  a good  idea  of  all  of  them  : 

“ A stone-ware  jug  of  mottled  brown  glaze,  mounted  in  silver-gilt  as  a tank- 
ard, engraved  neck-band  of  interlaced  straps ; the  cover  repouss£  with  lions’ 
heads  and  fruit,  surmounted  by  a flat-rayed  button  and  small  baluster  pur- 
chase, formed  of  two  acorns;  round  the  foot  is  a border  of  upright  straw- 
berry leaves  and  a gadrooned  edge.” 

This  would  describe  a specimen  of  about  1565,  and  later 
ones  would  differ  from  it  oidy  in  the  engraving  or  chasing 
of  the  neck-band  and  cover. 

Jugs,  or  “ covered  pots,  ” of  the  same  shape  are  some- 
times found  in  silver,  just  as  the  cocoa-nut  or  the  ostrich 
egg  suggested  shapes  to  the  goldsmith. 


EWERS,  BASINS,  AND  SALVERS. 

These  occur  in  every  old  will  and  inventory  of  any  im- 
portance, and,  being  articles  in  daily  use  at  every  table, 


100 


OLD  PLATE. 


must  have  been  very  common  indeed,  making  up  as  they 
did  for  the  want  of  any  such  utensil  as  the  modern  fork. 

We  must  remember  that  sometimes  more  than  one  per- 
son ate  off  the  same  dish,  and  that  with  the  fingers,  aided 
only  with  a knife  or  spoon,  as  the  case  required ; and  even 
if  a rnle  prescribed  in  the  “Boke  of  Nurture”  were  never 
transgressed : 

“Sett  never  on  fysche  nor  flesche  beest  nor  fowle  trewly. 

More  than  ij  fyngurs  and  a thombe  for  that  is  curtesie,” 

still  we  shall  agree  with  de  Lahorde  in  his  remark  on 
ancient  basins:  “ Que  ] ’absence  de  fourchette  et  l’habitude 
de  manger  a deux  dans  la  meme  ecuelle  et  a plusieurs  dans 
le  meme  plat,  rendaient  necessaire  la  proprete  des  mains, 
pour  les  autres  avant  le  diner,  pour  soi-meme  apres.” 

Ewers  and  basins  were  accordingly  handed  before  and 
after  every  meal,  and  after  every  course,  the  hands  being 
held  over  the  basin  whilst  water,  hot,  cold  or  scented,  was 
poured  over  them  from  the  ewer  by  the  server.  In  the 
houses  of  the  great  they  were  of  costly  material,  and  fine 
naperie  for  use  with  them  is  found  in  abundance  amongst 
the  household  goods  of  the  middle  ages. 

The  “ Boke  of  Kervyng”  directs  the  attendant  to  see 
before  meat  that  “ thyn  ewery  he  arrayed  with  basyns  and 
ewers  and  water  hote  and  colde,  and  se  ye  have  napkyns 
. . , ; ” and  the  manner  in  which  they  should  be  used  at 

the  end  of  the  meal  is  laid  down  in  the  “Babees  Boke”: 

“ Thanne  somme  of  yew  for  water  owe  to  goo. 

Somme  holde  the  clothe,  somme  poure  uppon  his  hande.” 


The  little  manual  entitled  “Ffor  to  Serve  a Lord”  directs 
this  service  before  and  after  meat  in  1500;  and  even  in  1577 
the  “Boke  of  Nurture”  mentions  “ a basen  ewer  and  towell 
to  array  your  cupbord.  ” 

With  the  appearance  of  forks  the  use  of  the  basin  was  to 
a great  extent  discontinued,  and  most  of  the  basins  them- 
selves have  disappeared,  perhaps  to  he  converted  into  forks. 
It  may  well  he  that  some  of  the  forks  now  in  use  were 


MESSRS.  HOWARD  & CO. 


Diameter,  2613  inches  ; maker’s  mark,  P'L. ; star  and  crown  above, 
fleur-de-lis  below,  shaped  escutcheon.  This  is  the  mark  of  the  cele- 
brated silversmith  Paul  de  Lamerie,  at  the  sign  of  the  “G-olden 
Ball  ” ; a French  emigre,  who  probably  learned  his  art  in  Paris. 
His  name  first  appears  on  the  book  of  the  Goldsmith  Company  1712, 
removing  to  Gerard  Street,  Soho,  1739,  where  he  died  at  an  ad- 
vanced age  in  1751.  He  was  appointed  Royal  Goldsmith,  and  seems 
to  have  worked  in  the  new  or  Britannia  standard  down  to  1732. 
The  artist  Hogarth  engraved  plate  made  by  him. 


EWERS  AND  BASINS. 


101 


made  out  of  the  ewers  and  basins  which  their  invention 
rendered  superfluous.  The  few  now  remaining  are  used  for 
sideboard  decoration,  or  for  handing  rose-water  after  din- 
ner, and  the  most  ancient  of  them  are  only  of  the  middle  of 
the  xvi.  century. 

The  salvers  of  the  xvn.  and  the  beginning  of  the  xvm. 
centuries  were  plain  circular  dishes,  and  repousse  work 
gave  way  to  plain  engraving  towards  the  middle  of  the  for- 
mer century.  Those  which  accompany  the  helmet-shaped 
ewers  are  usually 
quite  plain. 

In  the  reign  of 
Queen  Anne  chasing 
is  found,  the  edges 
of  the  salvers  being 
both  chased  and 
shaped,  the  salvers 
themselves  standing 
on  three,  or  some- 
times four,  small  feet. 

Some  are  both  en- 
graved and  chased. 

The  talents  of  Ho- 
garth were  for  some 
six  years  employed 
in  engraving  plate 
for  Ellis  Gamble,  the 
silversmith,  to  whom  he  was  apprenticed  in  1712  ; and  sal- 
vers or  waiters  decorated  by  him  are  still  to  be  seen. 

The  plainer  salvers  of  this  date  have  often  a gadrooned 
edge.  This  style  of  ornament  was  succeeded  by  the  beaded 
edges  of  the  time  of  George  III.,  and  circular  or  shaped  sal- 
vers were  replaced  by  the  plain  oval  trays,  having  handles 
at  the  ends,  which  are  then  found  almost  to  the  exclusion 
of  any  other  pattern. 

The  large  salver  and  ewer  shown  in  the  frontispiece  are 
from  the  collection  of  Mrs.  M.  A.  Rives,  and  were  made  in 
1793.  The  body  of  the  ewer  is  extremely  graceful,  beaten 
out  into  six  spiral  lobes  of  chased  acanthus  leaves,  fruit, 


NO.  29. — SALVER  (C.  1690)  ; THE  PROPERTY  OF 
MR.  F.  H.  BETTS. 


102 


OLD  PLATE. 


etc.,  contracting  to  the  base  and  spreading  into  three  acan- 
thus leaves,  divided  by  shell-work  to  form  the  foot.  Above, 
the  lobes  contract  to  a collar  at  the  necking,  curving  out- 
wards to  a bold  lip  of  shell-work,  under  which  is  seated  a 
nymph  holding  up  a bunch  of  grapes.  The  handle  rises 
high  above  the  lip  from  a mask,  ending  in  a second  nymph 
at  its  junction  with  the  necking.  It  is  enriched  with  cupids 
and  grape-vines. 

The  rim  of  the  salver  is  divided  into  eight  compartments, 
beaten  up  with  large  tulip  flowers  in  the  character  of  work 
of  the  xvii.  century. 

In  the  center  is  a medallion  with  a representation  of  a 
hunting-scene,  with  Diana  and  her  attendant  nymphs. 


STANDING-CUPS  AND  HANAPS. 

An  article  of  hardly  less  importance  in  mediaeval  times 
than  the  great  salt-cellar  was  the  standing-cup  in  which 
lord,  abbot,  or  gentleman  received  his  wine  from  the 
butler’s  hand  after  it  had  been  duly  “ essayed.” 

Whilst  simple  “ treen  ” cups  were  used  by  the  lower 
classes,  those  which  graced  the  table  of  the  high-born  and 
wealthy  were  always  of  great  magnificence  and  of  costly 
material.  The  splendor  of  the  cup  marked  the  consequence 
of  him  who  used  it,  as  the  standing-salt  did  the  position  of 
the  lord  of  the  feast ; and  if  not  of  gold,  silver,  or  silver-gilt, 
it  was  formed  of  some  then  rare  material,  such  as  the  egg 
of  the  ostrich,  the  shell  of  the  cocoa-nut,  or  at  least  of  curi- 
ously mottled  wood  mounted  on  a foot  and  surrounded  with 
bands  of  precious  metal. 

Such  cups  were  of  great  value,  and  some  were  prized  no 
less  for  the  historical  or  other  associations  which  surrounded 
them  than  for  their  intrinsic  worth.  They  were  often  known, 
not  only  in  the  household  of  the  owner,  but  even  in  the 
district  in  which  he  lived,  by  special  names,  and  the  custody 
of  the  cup  has  signified  the  ownership  of  an  estate. 

The  “ Constable  Cup  ” of  Sir  Richard  de  Scrop  in  1400, 
and  the  great  silver  cup,  with  a cover,  called  “ Le  Chartre  of 


HANAPS. 


103 


Morpeth,”  mentioned  in  the  will  of  John,  Lord  of  Greystock, 
in  1436,  rnnst  have  been  of  some  such  importance  as  this. 

The  same  Bishop  of  Durham,  whose  Indian  nut  will 
be  presently  mentioned,  calls  one  of  his  cups  u Chante- 
plure,”  in  1259 ; whilst  Edmund  de  Mortimer,  Earl  of  March, 
has  a cup  of  gold  with  an  acorn  called  “ Benesonne,”  and 
another  of  silver  called  “ Wassail,”  at  his  death  in  1380. 

A few  words  must  be  said,  both  as  to  the  term  “hanap,” 
so  often  applied  to  cups  of  this  description,  and  as  to  the 
mode  of  using  them,  before  going  into  further  detail  as  to 
their  varying  fashion.  The  Norman-French  word  “ hanap,” 
then,  which  has  at  last  come  to  mean  a basket  or  package, 
in  fact  a hamper,  is  derived  from  the  Saxon  hncep,  a cup  or 
goblet,  and  was  applied  in  mediaeval  days  to  standing- cups 
with  covers,  but  only,  as  it  would  seem,  to  cups  of  some  size 
and  importance.  As  drinking-vessels  grew  up,  with  the 
increasing  luxury  of  the  times,  from  wooden  bowls  into  the 
tall  “standing-cups  and  covers,”  which  is  the  proper 
description  of  the  cups  called  hanaps,  the  use  of  the  latter 
term  became  confined  to  such  cups  alone,  and  the  place 
where  such  hanaps  were  kept  was  termed  the  hanaperium. 
This  was  necessarily  a place  of  safe  keeping  and,  therefore, 
a sort  of  treasury.  The  hanaper,  accordingly,  was  the  safe 
place  in  the  chancery  where  the  fees  due  for  the  sealing  of 
patents  and  charters  were  deposited,  and  being  received  by 
the  Clerk  of  the  Hanaper  (or  clerk  of  the  Chancery  Treasury), 
the  term  hanaper  office  has  continued  to  the  present  time. 
The  hanaperium  may  originally  have  been  a strong  chest, 
and  so  the  term  hanaper,  or  hamper,  may  have  been 
applied,  and  continued  at  last  exclusively  to  a chest-like 
basket  with  a lid,  used  for  various  purposes. 

Germany  and  the  Low  Countries  were  particularly  the 
lands  of  the  hanap  and  the  beaker.  The  twenty  thousand 
pieces  of  old  silver-work  which  were  exhibited  at  Amster- 
dam in  1880  testify  to  the  former  richness  of  this  part  of 
Europe  in  such  work. 

A very  few  notes  will  show  the  importance  of  the  hanap. 
A statute  of  1285,  speaking  of  the  security  for  good  conduct 
to  be  given  by  tavern-keepers,  prescribes  that  an  offender 


104 


OLD  PLATE. 


should  be  bound  over  by  u.soen  lianap  de  la  taverne  ou  par 
altre  bon  gage?  This  was  evidently  his  drinking-vessel. 
Again,  William  Lord  Latimer  specially  mentions  “ la  grant 
hanaper  d’ argent  endoere  appelle  Seint  George ,”  in  his  will  dated 
1381,  and  John  of  (Jaunt  in  1394  bequeaths  “ mown  plus  grant 
lianap  d’or?  In  both  these  cases  the  cup  is  one  of  price. 
Far  later  on,  in  1670,  it  is  found  that  “he  which  is  mayor 
of  London,  for  the  time  shall  have  an  hanap  d’or  or  golden 
tanker  at  the  coronation  of  every  king.” 

Sometimes  these  grand  cups  were  placed  upon  the  table, 
and  at  others  were  handed  to  the  lord  when  he  chose  to 
drink.  The  “ Boke  of  Nurture,”  by  Hugh  Rhodes,  written 
in  1577,  directs  the  server  as  follows:  — “When  he  (the  mas- 
ter) listeth  to  drinke  and  taketh  of  the  cover,  take  the  cover 
in  thy  hand  and  set  it  on  agayne”;  and  the  “Boke  of  Cur- 
tasye,”  circa,  1430,  another  of  these  treatises,  shall  describe 
in  its  own  words  the  mode  of  serving  wine  at  that  still 
earlier  period : 

“The  kerver  anon  withouten  thought 
Unkovers  the  cup  that  he  hase  brought 
Into  the  coverture  wyn  he  powres  out 
Or  into  a spare  pece  withouten  doute 
Assayes  an  gefes  tho  lorde  to  drynke 
Or  settes  hit  down  as  hym  goode  thynk  . . .” 

It  further  proceeds  to  say : 

“ Both  wyne  and  ale  he  tase  indede 
The  butler  says  withouten  drede 
No  mete  for  mon  schalle  sayed  be 
Bot  for  kynge  or  prince  or  duke  so  fre  . . 

This  obliges  us  to  note  the  constant  fear  of  poison  in 
which  our  ancestors  lived,  and  them  curious  belief  in  the 
power  of  certain  substances  to  detect  its  presence.  It  has 
already  been  remarked  that  cups  and  salt-cellars  in  many 
cases  had  covers  to  prevent  the  introduction  of  poison ; but 
besides  this,  all  meats  and  drinks  were  tasted  or  assayed  by 
him  who  served  them  before  they  were  partaken  of  by  the 
lord,  the  books  of  etiquette  prescribing  the  extent  to  which 


OSTRICH-EGG  GUPS. 


105 


these  precautions  should  he  carried  in  serving  at  the  tables 
of  personages  of  various  ranks.  The  most  exalted  had  both 
meat  and  drink  tested,  those  of  lower  station  only  their 
beverages. 

“Cups  of  Assay”  are  not  unfrequently  found  in  the 
inventories  of  the  great;  they  are  usually  of  small  size. 

The  cover,  or  a “ spare  pece,”  according  to  our  rhyming 
authority,  was  used  instead  of  a special  cup  by  people  of 
less  consequence.  A further  precaution  was  sometimes 
adopted  in  making  the  cup  itself  of  some  special  substance. 
Salts  and  cups  were  formed  of  the  horn  of  the  narwhal, 
which  did  duty  for  that  of  the  fabulous  beast  known  as  the 
unicorn,  and  was  firmly  believed  to  have  the  power  of 
detecting  poison.  Turquoises  were  supposed  to  turn  of  a 
paler  blue,  and  certain  crystals  to  become  clouded,  in  the 
presence  of  poisons,  and  both  were  used  in  this  faith  for  the 
decoration  of  cups. 

Turning  now  to  standing-cups  as  we  find  them,  pre- 
cedence must  be  given  to  those  made  of  ostrich  eggs  and 
cocoa-nuts,  mounted  in  silver  and  having  feet  of  the  same 
metal.  These  were  very  popular  in  early  times,  and  they 
are  classed  together  because  they  are  of  similar  size  and 
shape,  and  their  mounting  is  of  the  same  character.  Some- 
times the  cup  itself  was  formed  of  silver  or  silver-gilt, 
shaped  as  an  egg  or  nut,  and  in  these  cases  it  is  difficult  to 
say  which  of  the  two  it  is  intended  to  represent.  It  has 
been  suggested  that  the  silver  examples  only  occur  when 
the  earlier  nut  or  egg  has  been  broken,  and  the  owner,  not 
being  able  to  procure  another,  has  refilled  the  mount  with  a 
silver  bowl  or  lining  of  similar  shape ; but  to  set  against 
this,  it  may  be  said  that  some  of  the  silver  linings  are  found 
of  the  same  date  and  fashion  as  the  feet  and  other  mount- 
ings with  which  they  are  fitted.  A notice  of  some  of  these 
cups  will  serve  to  show  for  how  many  centuries  they  held 
their  ground.  As  early  as  1259  a bishop  of  Durham 
bequeaths  his  11  cyphum  de  nuce  Indye  cum  pede  et  appa- 
ratu  argenti”;  and  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  social  scale, 
the  inventory  of  a felon’s  goods  in  1337  comprises  amongst 
other  things  “ one  cup  called  a note,  with  foot  and  cover  of 


106 


OLD  PLATE. 


silver,  value  305.”  An  indenture  of  the  following  year 
mentions  “ a nut  on  a foote  and  silver  covercle  ” amongst 
jewels  sold. 

Just  as  a silver-gilt  howl  shaped  as  a mazer  would  some- 
times be  called  by  that  name,  silver  cups  were  called  nuts 
or  eggs  if  they  were  so  formed.  Cups  of  all  three  materials 
are  extant,  but  ostrich-egg  cups  are  not  so  common,  per- 
haps because  they  were  rather  more  easily  broken. 

Other  drinking-hanaps,  no  less  ancient  than  the  last,  are 
formed  of  horns  mounted  in  silver,  either  because  horns 
as  well  as  the  other  substances  previously  mentioned  were 
supposed  to  have  the  property  of  revealing  the  presence  of 
poison  in  any  liquor  poured  into  them,  or,  for  some  better 
reason,  they  have  been  used  as  drinking- vessels  from  early 
times. 

An  elephant’s  tusk  carved  with  figures  and  mounted  with 
silver,  of  xvi.  century  work,  is  to  be  seen  at  the  British 
Museum.  Lastly,  we  come  to  standing-cups  made  entirely 
of  the  precious  metals  themselves.  These  are  not  confined 
to  any  one  century,  and  there  are  extant  specimens  to 
illustrate  the  work  of  successive  generations  of  goldsmiths 
for  three  hundred  years.  In  speaking  of  the  word  hanap 
it  appeared  that  such  cups  as  these  were  in  fashion  as  far 
back  as  records  go.  The  earliest  specimen,  however,  bear- 
ing a recognized  English  hall-mark,  and  therefore  of  an 
ascertained  date,  is  no  older  than  1481;  not  but  there  are 
a few  still  more  ancient  cups  in  existence. 

Early  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth  cups  are  found  fashioned 
as  gourds  or  melons,  with  feet  formed  as  their  twisted 
stems  and  tendrils.  Cups,  too,  shaped  as  birds  and  animals, 
their  heads  taken  off  to  form  them  into  drinking-vessels, 
sometimes  occur. 

A cup  and  cover  (English,  1585),  with  bowl  shaped  as  a 
gourd  standing  on  a gnarled  tree-trunk,  can  be  seen  among 
the  reproductions  at  the  Metropolitan  Museum ; also  a large 
Nuremberg  “Eagle”  cup  of  the  xvi.  century.  In  Ger- 
many drinking-cups  often  took  these  and  other  quaint 
shapes,  such  as  windmills,  at  about  this  time  and  until  the 
middle  of  the  following  century.  The  windmills  seem 


STANDING-CUPS. 


107 


always  of  foreign  origin,  but 
another  favorite  cnp  is  found 
of  English  make  as  well  as  Ger- 
man. These  are  the  well-known 
“wager-cups”  in  the  form  of  a 
woman  holding  a smaller  cup 
over  her  head  with  upstretched 
arms. 

A little  later  another  very 
distinctive  fashion  prevailed. 
The  Ambleside  cup  is  an  ad- 
mirable illustration  of  it.  This 
is  an  exquisitely  wrought  cup, 
with  steeple  cover,  used  as  a 
chalice  at  S.  Mary’s,  Amble- 
side.* 


“ The  bowl  of  the  characteristic 
pointed  shape  of  its  period  is  richly 
repoussed  and  ornamented  from  the 
stem  upwards  with  three  acanthus  leaves 
flanked  with  cockle-shells.  Floriation 
descends  from  the  plain  band  at  rim,  to 
complete  the  design.  The  base  itself 
is  set  upon  three  flying  supports  bent 
in  griffin  shape;  these  in  turn  spring 
from  the  higher  of  two  bulbous  orna- 
ments that  together  form  a sort  of  bal- 
uster stem,  and  are  themselves  set  upon 
a handsomely  repousse'd  bell-shaped 
base.  For  the  base’s  ornament  the  acan- 
thus leaf  and  cockle  shells  re-appear. 

The  cover  fits  over,  not  inside,  the  rim  of  the  bowl,  and  is  ornamented  with 
the  acanthus  leaf  and  cockle-shell  in  repousse.  It  is  surmounted  by  a fine 
pinnacle  or  steeple  of  open  lattice  work  setoff  at  the  base  with  supports,  and 
at  the  top  with  a foliated  finial,  giving  the  general  appearance  of  a four-sided 
crocketed  spire,” 


NO.  30. — CUP  AND  COVER  (1018); 
S.  MARY’S,  AMBLESIDE. 


This  cup  and  cover  are  fine  specimens  of  the  fashion 
that  prevailed  from  1608  to  1628,  of  which  the  Winthrop 

*“  Old  Church.  Plate  in  the  Diocese  of  Carlisle.”  R.  S.  Ferguson. 


108 


OLD  PLATE. 


cup  (1610),  in  the  possession  of  the  First  Church,  Boston, 
is  a good  example. 

This,  unfortunately,  lacks  the  cover. 

A similar  cup,  gilt,  and  weighing  forty -six  ounces,  was 
sold  at  Christie  & Manson’s  Rooms,  London,  in  June,  1875, 
for  $1000,  or  about  $22  an  ounce. 

To  these  succeeded  a much  less  artistic  form  of  cup, 
which  held  its  own,  however,  much  longer,  being  found 
from  about  1638  to  1694.  The  bowls  of  many  are  covered 
with  granulated  ornament  and  the  stems  are  plain  balus- 
ters standing  on  circular  feet.  This  brings  us  to  the  xvm. 


century  and  the  simple  but  massive  two-handled  cups,  with 
covers,  that  mark  the  reigns  of  Queen  Anne  and  the  earlier 
part  of  the  Georgian  period.  These  seem  to  have  been  the 
only  cups  made  for  a long  time,  and  they  are  of  every  size 
and  degree  of  finish. 

The  two  loving-cups,  the  property  of  Harvard  Univer- 
sity, are  good  examples.  That  with  the  gadrooned  base 
and  cover  has  the  well-known  London  maker’s  mark,  I C, 
mullet  below,  lobed  shield.  It  is  engraved  with  a coat  of 
arms  and  the  inscription : 


NO.  31. — LOVING-CUP  (c.  1700);  HARVARD  university. 


LOVING-CUPS. 


109 


O-'L 


S?ort  William  §>tougl)ton 


O-  cLv&scL  Cut- 
■0  £5-  t-O^e-  iut-  eAs 


*jtL 


ijoi. 


NO.  32. — LOVING-CUP  (c.  1731);  HARVARD  UNIVERSITY. 


Among  the  numerous  pieces  of  plate  on  which  this 
maker’s  mark  is  to  be  found  are  the  plain  tankards  ex  dono 
Sebright,  at  Jesus  College,  Oxford  (1685). 

The  plainer  loving-cup  has  also  a coat  of  arms,  and  the 
inscription  : 


110 


OLD  PLATE. 


NO.  33. — RUSSIAN  CUP  (MOSCOW, 
1745);  THE  PROPERTY  OP  THE 
GORHAJtt  MPG.  CO. 


sC-WU 

tL& 

Col  Samuel  315  r o tt)  n 


IJ3I. 


The  maker,  John  Burt,  was 
a Boston  goldsmith ; his  name  is 
to  be  found  on  the  large  flagon 
presented  to  the  New  North 
Church  in  1745,  now  in  the  pos- 
session of  King’s  Chapel. 

In  the  records  of  the  Univer- 
sity are  the  following  entries : 

“ 1699  Hon.  William  Stoughton  erect- 
ed a building  called  Stoughton  Hall. 

In  1700,  probably  the  same  gentleman 
gave  a large  silver  bowl,  48^4  oz.,  and  a 
goblet,  21  oz. 

“ 1731  Col.  Samuel  Brown  left  by  his 
will  £60  to  the  College  for  the  purchase 
of  a piece  of  plate.” 


Among  standing-cups  of 
quaint  shape  is  the  Russian 
double-cup,  with  the  Moscow 
mark,  dated  1745,  18  in.  high. 
The  body  of  this  cup  is  beaten  out 
into  six  semicircular  lobes,  which 
descend  in  points,  chased  with 
arabesques,  alternating  with  six 
others  reversed,  under  a plain 
round  lip ; these  lobes,  which 


TANKARDS. 


Ill 


contract  in  the  middle,  expand  into  the  smaller  reversed 
series  that  make  the  bottom  of  the  cnp.  The  base,  or  lower 
cup,  and  the  cover  are  the  reverse  of  this,  the  cover  finish- 
ing in  a vase,  surmounted  by  a cluster  of  flowers  of  beaten 
work.  The  stem  represents  a tree-trunk,  with  lopped 
branches  and  stalks  entwined,  having  between  them  a 
woodman  with  an  axe  in  the  act  of  chopping  at  them ; a 
slender  vine  of  silver  surrounds  the  whole.  These  stalk 
stems  were  very  common  in  Germany  during  the  xvi. 
century. 

No  special  forms  or  fashions  can  be  identified  with  any 
particular  period  from  the  middle  of  the  last  century  on- 
wards, if  we  except  the  oval-pointed  cups,  sometimes  fluted, 
but  more  often  ornamented  with  hanging  festoons,  some- 
times carried  over  medallions,  which  are  also  found  on 
Wedgwood  ware  of  the  time  of  Flaxman.  The  potters  and 
the  goldsmiths  have  often  copied  each  other’s  designs,  or 
else  have  resorted  to  the  same  designers. 

The  Wedgwood  ware,  for  which  Flaxman  for  many  years 
furnished  models,  won  extraordinary  fame. 

It  is  not  so  generally  known  that  the  same  great  artist 
was  employed  also  by  Rundell  & Bridge,  the  goldsmiths, 
notwithstanding  the  fine  examples  executed  by  them  after 
his  designs  that  are  at  Windsor  Castle  and  other  places. 

TANKARDS. 

The  use  of  the  word  “ tankard,  ” in  its  now  familiar 
sense  of  a large  silver  drinking-vessel,  with  a cover  and 
handle,  is  of  comparatively  modern  introduction.  No  ar- 
ticle of  plate  is  called  by  this  name  in  any  of  the  volumes 
of  wills  and  inventories  published  in  England  by  the  Sur- 
tees Society,  which  reach  down  to  the  year  1600.  The 
word  seems  to  first  occur  in  this  sense  about  1575,  and  from 
that  time  is  constantly  applied  to  the  vessels  that  have  ever 
since  been  known  as  tankards. 

In  earlier  days  it  was  used  for  the  wooden  tubs  bound 
with  iron,  and  containing  some  three  gallons,  in  which 
water  was  carried.  The  men  who  fetched  water  from  the 


112 


OLD  PLATE. 


conduits  in  London  were  called  “ tankard-bearers,  ” and  in 
a Coroner’s  Roll  of  1276,  for  the  ward  of  Castle  Baynard, 
tankards  are  mentioned  as  the  vessels  they  bore.  Again, 
in  1337,  the  keepers  of  the  conduits  receive  a sum  of  money 
for  rents  for  “ tynes  and  tankards  ” thereat ; and  in  1350  a 
house  is  hired  for  one  year  at  10s.  to  put  the  tankards  — les 
tanquers  — in,  and  two  irons,  costing  2s.  6d.,  were  bought 
for  stamping  them. 

These  same  utensils  are  found  in  farming  accounts  of 
the  same  period.  In  1294,  at  Framlingham,  County  Suf- 
folk, the  binding  with  iron  of  thirteen  tankards  cost  3s., 
and  six  years  later  a three-gallon  iron-bound  tankard  is 
priced  in  Cambridge  at  Is.  At  Leatherhead  a two-gallon 
tankard  is  valued  at  2d.,  in  1338,  and  two  such  vessels  at 
Elham  together  cost  4 d.  in  1364. 

All  this  time  tankards  are  mentioned  in  no  other  connec- 
tion • but  when  we  come  to  the  xvi.  century,  a notice  of 
“ lether  ” tankards  occurs.  This  is  in  a church  account  of 
1567,  and  they  were,  no  doubt,  used  as  fire-buckets.  A 
church  warden’s  inventory  of  the  same  period  (1566) 
speaks  of  a “ penny  tanckerd  of  wood  used  as  a holy- water 
stock.  ” Even  later  than  this  tankards  appear  in  house- 
hold accounts,  classed  with  other  kitchen  goods ; for  an  in- 
ventory of  the  chattels  of  one  Edward  Waring,  Esq.,  of 
Lea,  taken  in  1625,  includes  “ two  tankerds  and  one  payle,  ” 
certainly  not  amongst  his  plate.  Sometime  before  this, 
however,  the  term  was  occasionally  applied  to  silver  ves- 
sels. The  will  of  Sir  Gieorge  Heron,  proved  at  Durham  in 
1576,  or  thereabouts,  mentions  his  “ three  silver  tanck- 
ards,  ” valued  at  vi li. ; and  in  a Norwich  will  of  1583  there 
is  an  entry  of  “ one  Canne  or  Tanckerd  of  sylver.  ” 

In  the  inventory  of  the  plate  of  Dr.  Perne,  Master  of 
Peterhouse,  Cambridge,  which  is  of  the  year  1589,  occur 
the  following  articles : 

“Item  a tankerd  barred  lipt  and  covered  v ounces  xxiiijs.  ijd.  Item  a 
white  home  tankerd  with  a cover  barres  and  lipt  double  gilt  vi  ounces  xxis.  ” 

These  are  some  of  the  earliest  instances  of  a then  new 
application  of  the  word,  which  soon  not  only  became  com- 
mon, but  entirely  superseded  the  old. 


TANKARDS. 


113 


It  was,  after  all,  not  very  unnatural  to  transfer  a word 
originally  used  for  a capacious  water-tub  to  a drinking- 
vessel  that  was  also  large  of  its  kind,  and  it  is  difficult  to 
understand  why  etymologists  should  have  taken  so  much 
trouble,  as  they  have,  to  find  fanciful  derivations  for  it. 
Duchat  and  Thomson  would  both  derive  “ tankard  ” from 
tin-quart , and  Dr.  Thomas  Henshaw  from  the  twang  or 
sound  the  lid  makes  on  shutting  it  down  ; but,  after  all,  if 
tank  is  derived,  as  it  surely  is,  from  the  French  estang , a 
pond  or  pool,  it  is  not  nec- 
essary to  go  further  for 
the  derivation  of  the  name 
of  a vessel  which  was  orig- 
inally intended  to  hold 
water  than  to  connect  it 
with  tank,  and  to  derive  it 
from  the  same  source. 

Johnson’s  Dictionary  de- 
scribes it  as  “ a large  vessel 
for  strong  drink,”  and  cites 
Ben  Jonson : 


“ Hath  his  tankard  touched  your 
brain  ? ” 


Tankards  with  a handle, 
purchase,  and  hinged  lid, 
were  made  of  all  sizes,  and 

. , . . ' NO.  34.— TANKARD  (1574)  ; ASHMO- 

witn  many  varieties  oi  doc-  lean  museum,  oxford. 

oration,  both  in  Gfermany 

and  other  northern  beer-drinking  countries,  as  well  as  in 
England.  They  retain  their  popularity  to  this  day.  They 
were  often  made  to  inclose  gold  and  silver  coins,  both  on 
the  flat  top  and  bottom,  and  bent  round  and  set  in  the  sides. 

To  S.  Dunstan  has  been  attributed  the  origin  of  the 
placing  of  pegs  in  tankards.  *u  Finding  that  quarrels  very 
frequently  arose  in  taverns  from  disputes  about  the  proper 
share  of  the  liquor  when  they  drank  out  of  the  same  cup, 


8 


* Chaffers. 


114 


OLD  PLATE. 


he  advised  Edgar  to  order  gold  or  silver  pegs  to  be  fastened 
at  regulated  distances  in  the  pots,  that  every  man  should 
know  his  just  allowance.  The  space  between  each  peg 
contained  half  a pint.” 

These  hinged  tankards  were  probably  made  for  the  ex- 
press purpose  of  holding  beer  (made  with  hops),  and  were 
introduced  into  England  when  beer  became  a national 
drink  early  in  the  xvi.  century. 


NO.  35. — IRISH  TANKARDS  (1680);  MERCHANT  TAYLORS’  HALL,  LONDON. 


The  hot  spiced  wines  that  were  drunk  before  going  to 
bed,  both  in  royal  and  private  houses,  were  probably  sent 
up  in  covered-cups.  We  can  refer  to  no  instance  of  a 
tankard  of  Italian,  French,  or  Spanish  make.  The  man- 
ufacture seems  to  have  been  confined  to  beer-drinking 
nations.  In  New  England  wills  and  inventories,  mention 
is  frequently  made  of  plate,  tankards,  etc. 

# John  Cotton,  1652,  gives 


* New  England  Glen,  and  Hist.  Reg. 


TANKARDS. 


115 


“to  the  church  of  Boston  a silver  tunn  to  be  vsed  amongst  the  other  com- 
vnion  plate  ; to  my  grand-child  Betty  Day  my  second  silver  wine  boule .” 

Comford  Starr,  Boston,  1659 : 

“ My  siluer  guilt  double  salt  cellar  . . . one  sillier  bossed  wine  Cupp." 

About  the  same  time  Thomas  Olliver  of  Boston  bequeaths 


NO.  36. — TANKARD  (0.  1650);  THE  PROPERTY  OP  MR.  R.  S.  ELY. 

“ the  siluer  wine  Cup  and  4 siluer  spoones , a siluer  bowle , my  siluer  salt." 

Rachel  Bigg  of  Dorchester,  1646,  directs 

“ three  pounds  to  be  layed  out  vpon  a siluer  Pott  marked  wth  R.  B.  and 
twenty  shillings  for  three  siluer  spoones .” 

Daniel  Grookin,  Senior,  living  at  Cambridge,  August,  1685, 
gives  and  bequeaths 


116 


OLD  PLATE. 


“ to  my  dearly  beloved  wife  Hannah 


forever  a piece  of  plate , 


either  a cup,  or  tankard  to  be  made  new  for  her  marked 


G. 

D.H. 


This  is  interesting  as  showing  the  custom  of  putting  the 
initials  of  the  surname  (g)  and  Christian  names  (d  & h)  of 
the  husband  and  wife  on  silver  mementos. 

In  a will  of  1653  mention  is  made  of  “ that  great  siluer 
heare  bowl.”  Increase  Mather  in  1719  bequeaths  to  his 
eldest  son  : “ Item,  my  Silver  Tankard.” 

One  of  the  earliest  specimens  of  tankards  (1574)  is  pre- 
served at  the  Ashmolean  Museum,  Oxford.  It  is  of  silver- 

gilt,  with  straight  sides,  and 
tapers  a good  deal  from  the 
bottom  upwards. 

Next  came  the  taller  upright 
and  straight-sided  tankards,  of- 
ten beautifully  ornamented, 
that  are  found  in  the  reigns  of 
James  I.  and  Charles  I.  These 
are  frequently  used  as  flagons. 
One,  of  the  year  1619,  is  at  Ken- 
sington Parish  Church,  London, 
and  a pair  of  the  same  date  are 
at  Bodmin  Church,  Cornwall. 

Later  tankards  are  plainer, 
and  are  of  constant  occurrence. 
A splendid  pair,  from  one  of  which  our  illustration  is  taken, 
came  into  the  possession  of  the  Merchant  Taylors  Com- 
pany in  London,  on  the  dissolution  of  a Dublin  guild  some 
years  ago,  and  they  show  round  the  lower  part  of  the  drum 
the  acantlius-leaf  ornament  which  is  so  characteristic  of 
the  time  at  which  they  were  made.  They  bear  the  Dublin 
hall-marks  for  1680. 

The  Ely  tankard, # now  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  R.  S. 
Ely,  was  brought  from  England  about  1660.  It  has  only  a 
maker’s  mark — W C,  mullet  between  two  pellets  above, 
pellet  below,  shaped  shield. 


NO.  37. — tankards  fl729); 

HARVARD  UNIVERSITY. 


* For  the  purpose  of  illustration  the  coat  of  arms  are  shown  at  the  side 
of  both  this  and  the  Vassall  Tankards. 


SMALLER  CUPS. 


117 


The  domestic  tankards  of  the  second  half  of  this  century 
are  very  plain,  often  of  great  diameter  in  proportion  to 
their  depth,  and  have  flat  lids  and  very  massive  handles, 
the  lower  part  of  the  latter  often  being  notched  to  form 
them  into  whistles.  They  came  in  at  the  Restoration,  and 
are  found  till  about  1710  or  1720,  when  a pot  with  swelling 
drum  and  dome-shaped  lid,  with  or  without  a knob,  was 
introduced,  of  a fashion  so  well  known  at  the  present  day, 
both  in  silver  and  pewter. 

A pair  presented  to  Harvard  University  by  John  and 
William  Vassal,  1729,  were  made  by  I.  Kneelandof  Boston. 
The  tankards  of  the  last  century  are  perhaps  as  often 
without  lids  as  with  them.  It  has  already  been  remarked 
that  the  so-called  flagons  used  ordinarily  in  our  churches 
are,  properly  speaking,  tankards,  and  the  origin  of  the 
application  of  the  word  flagon  to  them  has  been  explained 
in  the  previous  chapter. 

SMALLER  CUPS. 

INCLUDING  TAZZE,  BEAKERS,  TASTERS,  CAUDLE-CUPS,  PORRINGERS, 
TUMBLERS,  ETC. 


Side  by  side  with  the  standing-cups,  which  were  often  more 
fitted  for  decorating  the  “cupboard”  than  for  use,  except 
on  state  occasions,  and  bearing  the  same  relation  to  them 
that  the  trencher-salt  did  to  the  standing  salt-cellar,  are 
found  a number  of  smaller  cups  and  basins  adapted  for 
every-day  requirements.  A short  chronological  notice  of 
their  forms  will,  perhaps,  be  of  more  practical  use  to  the 
collector  than  the  preceding  section ; for  whilst  standing- 
cups  are  seldom  for  sale,  and,  when  they  are,  command 
prices  that  are  beyond  the  reach  of  any  but  the  very 
wealthy,  good  specimens  of  smaller  drinking-cups  are  more 
easy  of  acquisition. 

Tazze  — very  elegant  cups,  usually  on  baluster  stems  and 
with  bowls  shaped  like  the  low  open  champagne  glasses  of 
xix.  century  use — are  found  from  about  1750  till  the  out- 
break of  the  civil  war  in  the  reign  of  Charles  I.  Specimens 


118 


OLD  PLATE. 


of  these  are  much  prized  by  the  collector,  and  they  are  by 
no  means  common.  Their  bowls  are  often  punched  all 
over  with  small  bosses  in  rings  or  other  patterns  from  the 
outside,  decreasing  in  size  towards  the  center,  and  some- 
what resembling  the  designs  now  produced  by  engine-turn- 
ing. This  was  possibly  in  imitation  of  the  Venetian  glasses, 
which  were  much  used  for  drink  at  this  period.  Others  have 
plain  bowls,  or  have  a simple  band  of  ornament  around  the 
rims. 

Tasters  are  the  small  shallow  circular  bowls,  with  a flat 
handle,  that  are  sometimes  called  bleeding-basins,  but  in- 
correctly, the  latter  being  a different  class  of  vessel,  some- 
times found  in  nests.  They  are  constantly  mentioned  in 
the  plate-lists  of  Elizabethan  days,  but  rarely  earlier  than 
1570,  nor  more  than  a single  one  in  each  list.  * Richard 
Webb  of  Boston,  1659,  bequeaths  “ jive  silver  spones , one 
silver  wine  taster. ” 

The  ordinary  tasters  weighed  about  three  ounces,  and  were 
valued  at  about  ten  or  twelve  shillings.  The  extant  speci- 
mens are  mostly  of  the  middle  or  end  of  the  xvii.  century. 

Bleeding-basins  of  the  first  years  of  the  xvm.  century, 
about  four  and  a half  inches  in  diameter,  and  having  a 
single  flat  pierced  handle,  are  not  uncommon.  They  are 
found  of  pewter  as  well  as  of  silver. 

Beakers.  These  come  next  in  order,  occurring  first  at  the 
very  beginning  of  the  xvii.  century;  a few  may  be  found  of 
earlier  but  not  much  earlier  date,  though  their  names  occur 
long  before  in  inventories.  In  England,  at  all  events,  they 
are  more  often  seen  in  the  cabinet  of  the  collector  than 
amongst  the  ancient  treasures  of  great  people  or  great  cor- 
porations,— a fact  which  must  be  left  to  explain  itself  as 
best  it  can.  Early  foreign  examples  are  more  common. 
They  are  usually  Dutch  or  from  the  north  of  Europe. 

Dr.  Johnson  derived  the  word  from  beak , and  defined 
the  beaker  as  a cup  with  a spout  in  form  of  a bird’s  beak;  an 
opinion  shared  also  by  Skinner.  Other  authorities  content 
themselves  with  saying  that  it  was  a kind  of  vessel  prob- 
ably derived  from  Flanders  or  Germany,  without  fixing  its 
* New  Eng.  Gen.  and  Hist.  Reg. 


4 


' 


NO.  39. — BEAKER.  (XVII.  CENTURY.) 

S.  MARY’S  CHURCH,  BURLINGTON,  N.  J, 


BEAKERS. 


119 


shape ; and  Forby  would  trace  it  to  the  Saxon  bece,  ordinary 
drinking-vessels  made  of  beech  wood.  The  learned  de 
Laborde  connects  the  English  word  byker  with  the  French 
buket ; giving  for  authority  cases 
in  which  the  latter  is  used  for  a 
holy- water  bucket,  and  for  a large 
cup  of  silver  with  cover,  enameled 
in  the  bottom.  The  vessels  com- 
monly called  beakers  are  plain  up- 
right drinking-cups,  widening  at 
the  month,  and  without  spout  or 
handle,  somewhat  resembling  the 
tall  glass  tumblers  used  in  modern 
times  for  soda-water  and  the  like. 

Beakers  are  used  as  Communion- 
cups  at  tlm  First  Church  and  Old 
South,  Boston;  the  First  Church, 

Dorchester;  S.  Ann’s,  Middletown, 

Del.;  and  the  beautiful  specimen 
at  S.  Mary’s,  Burlington,  previous- 
ly referred  to  as  probably  of  G-er- 
man  or  Dutch  origin. 


NO.  38. — BEAKER  (1604);  mercers’ 
HALL,  LONDON. 


“We*  had  nothing  happened  of  any  great  note  to  us,  till  the  year  1 7 1 1 ; 
and  some  time  in  April  in  that  year,  the  Church  received  the  gift  of  a large 
silver  Beaker,  with  a cover  well  engraved,  being  the  present  of  the  Honoura- 
ble Colonel  Robert  Quarry  for  the  use  of  the  Communion. 

“ This  Beaker,  with  a cover,  is  still  in  use.  The  letters  T.  B.  R.  are 
wrought  in  a monogram  on  them  both.  The  beaker  is  engraved  with  vines 
and  fruits,  and  flowers  pendant  from  ribbons,  between  which  are  the  heads 
of  cherubim.  Other  devices  upon  it  are,  an  eagle  on  a perch  ; a peacock ; 
a bird  with  fruit  in  its  claw  ; and  another  bird  with  a large  serpent  in  its  beak. 
Around  on  the  surface  of  the  cover  is  graven,  very  spiritedly,  a hunter  with 
a horn  at  his  lips  and  a spear  in  his  hand,  preceded  by  three  hounds  in  pur- 
suit of  a stag.  The  whole  is  surmounted  with  a large  and  exquisite  crown.” 

The  plain  gilt  beaker  belonging  to  the  Mercers’  Company 
is  ornamented  with  three  maidens’  heads  on  the  sides. 

Y-shaped  cups  on  baluster  stems  were  very  common 
from  about  1610  to  1660.  They  are  very  like  the  ordinary 


History  of  the  Church  in  Burlington.  Rev.  G.  M.  Hills,  D.  D. 


120 


OLD  PLATE. 


wine-glasses  of  the  present  day,  but  are  somewhat  larger. 
Communion-cups,  as  well  as  secular  drinking-cups,  are  often 
found  of  this  shape.  An  example  in  pewter  has  been  given 
in  the  chapter  upon  ecclesiastical  plate.  With  these  may  be 
classed  the  very  small  hexagonal  or  octagonal  grace-cups 
on  high  stems  that  are  found  in  the  reign  of  James  I. 
These  are  quite  peculiar  to  that  period.  They  seem  to 
occur  in  sets  of  three. 

Caudle-cups  and  poeeingees. — These  two  classes  of 
vessels,  the  former  of  which  were  often  called  “posset” 
cups  or  “posnets,”  include  all  the  two-handled  cups  with 
covers,  and  sometimes  also  trays  or  stands,  that  were  so 

commonly  used  in  the  xvn. 
and  the  earlier  part  of  the 
following  century. 

The  former  are  somewhat 
pear-shaped,  swelling  into 
larger  bowls  at  the  base,  and 
were  used  for  drinking  pos- 
set, which  was  milk  curdled 
with  wine  and  other  addi- 
tions, like  white-wine  whey 
or  treacle  possets  of  our  day. 
The  curd  floated  above  the 
liquor,  and,  rising  into  the  narrow  part  of  the  cup,  could  be 
easily  removed,  leaving  the  clear  fluid  at  the  bottom.  Their 
fashion  differs  with  their  date. 

Porringers,  on  the  other  hand,  were  wider-mouthed  bowls, 
but  with  covers  and  handles  like  the  last.  Their  less  flow- 
ing shape  necessitated  a somewhat  different  style  of  treat- 
ment in  the  way  of  decoration;  and  they  are  sometimes 
found  in  the  middle  of  the  century  octagonal,  or  even  twelve- 
sided, without  any  ornament. 

A well-known  pattern  which  came  in  about  the  time  of 
the  Restoration  is  shown  in  the  illustration.  It  is  from  the 
collection  at  the  South  Kensington  Museum,  and  is  thus 
described  in  the  official  Catalogue  : 

“ Cup  and  cover  ; silver-gilt  plain  neck,  the  lower  part  of  the  body  beaten 
with  leaf  work;  scroll  handles  and  a cover  with  flat-top  engraved  with  a 
coat  of  arms,  English  hall-mark,  1660  h.  6 in.  w.  7^  in. 


NO.  40. — CUP  AND  COVER  (1660) ; 
SOUTH  KENSINGTON  MUSEUM. 


TWO-HANDLED  CUPS. 


121 


“The  upper  part  or  neck  is  plain;  the  lower  portion  of  the  body  bulges 
and  is  beaten  up  with  tulip  flowers  and  leaves.  The  handles  join  the  rim  of 
the  neck  and  the  bulging  surface  of  the  lower  part  of  the  body.  The  handles 


are  light  bold  scrolls  of  solid  metal, 
curves  at  the  upper  point  or  junc- 
tion, and  light  double  volutes  at 
the  lower.  The  cover  bulges  and 
is  hammered  up  with  the  same 
tulip  flower  as  the  body.  It  is 
topped  by  a flat  handle,  which, 
when  reversed,  stands  as  a foot, 
and  this  portion  is  then  used  as  a 
small  salver  or  waiter.  On  this  flat 
surface  is  engraved  an  heraldic 
shield.” 


with  terminal  heads  on  the  upper  curves. 


no.  41.  — cup  (1667) ; prom  the  collection 

OP  THE  LATE  MR.  C.  WYLLYS  BETTS. 


We  here  illustrate  four  cups  of  the  year  1667, 1686, 1702, 
and  1775,  from  the  collection  of  the  late  Mr.  C.  Wyllys  Betts, 
bequeathed  to  the  Scroll  and  Keys  Society  of  Yale  University. 

The  cup  dated  1667  is  very  like  the  South  Kensington 
specimen  of  1660.  That  of  1686,  with  the  acanthus  decora- 
tion of  repousse  work  round  the  bowl,  is  of  identically  the 
same  character  as  the  covered  cup  at  Saddlers’  Hall,  Lon- 
don, the  gift  of  Peter  Kich,  1681.  The  two  later  cups  (1702 
and  1775)  show  the  development  of  the  fluted  porringers  of 

the  reign  of  Queen 
Anne.  These  are  often 
used  as  beer-cups. 

Toward  the  end  of 
the  xvn.  century,  por- 
ringers are  often  dec- 
orated with  flat  ap- 
plique leaves  round 
the  bottom  of  the 
bowl  and  the  knob  of 
the  cover.  These  thin 
plates  of  metal,  cut 
into  various  shapes  and  applied  to  the  surface,  have  been 
called  “cut-card”  work,  for  want  of  a better  name,  and  it 
has  been  somewhat  generally  adopted.  The  illustration  is 


NO.  42. — (1686)  PROM  THE  COLLECTION  OP  THE 
LATE  MR.  C.  WYLLYS  BETTS. 


122 


OLD  PLATE. 


of  a very  good  specimen  belonging  to  Christ  Chnrch,  Bru- 
ton Parish,  Va.,  and  used  as  a chalice.  It  is  of  silver-gilt 
(h.  3f  in.,  w.  in.),  and  has  the  mark  of  Peeter  Harache, # an 

eminent  goldsmith  and 
plate-worker  of  Suffolk 
street,  Charing  Cross, 
who  emigrated  from 
France  after  the  revo- 
cation of  the  Edict  of 
Nantes.  The  first  time 
we  meet  with  his  mark 
is  on  the  copper-plate 
at  Goldsmiths  Hall,  be- 
tween 1675  and  1697. 
The  mania  for  Chi- 
nese porcelain  which  prevailed  for  a few  years  in  the  reign 
of  William  III.  did  not  die  out  before  the  goldsmiths  had 
covered  their  wares  with  Chinese  designs.  A vast  quantity 
of  plate  was  decorated  in  this  way  between  1682  and  1690. 

Last  of  all  come  the  fluted  porringers  of  the  reign  of 
Queen  Anne,  previously  mentioned,  of  which  it  is  necessary 
to  say  that,  as  they  have  much  attracted  the  attention  of 
collectors,  imitations 
of  them  have  been 
manufactured  by  the 
cart-load.  These  mod- 
ern copies  would  very 
often  be  detected  by  an 
assay,  for  they  are  all 
marked  as  made  of  the 
Britannia  standard  of 
silver,  and  many  of 
them  if  tested  would  no 
doubt  prove  to  be  of 
silver  of  lower  quality. 


These  useful  articles  have  been  rather  pushed  out  of  their 
place  in  the  chapter  by  the  necessity  of  classing  together 

* Chaffers. 


NO,  44. — (1775)  FROM  THE  COLLECTION  OF  THE 
LATE  MR.  C.  WYLLYS  BETTS. 


TUMBLERS. 


NO.  43. — (1702)  FROM  THE  COLLECTION  OF  THE 
LATE  MR.  C.  WYLLYS  BETTS. 


PL  A TPS. 


123 


porringers  and  candle-cups,  for  tliey  are  decidedly  more 
ancient  than  the  last-mentioned  class  of  porringers.  They 
are  so  called  because  they  will  not  lie  on  their  sides,  but 
will  only  rest  on  the  bot- 
tom, tumbling  or  rolling 
from  side  to  side  like  a 
tumbler  till  they  steady 
themselves  in  an  upright 
position.  The  name  has 
somewhat  improperly  been 
transferred  to  our  flat-bot- 
tomed drinking-glasses. 

Such  round-bottomed  cups 
are  frequently  met  with 
from  about  1670  onwards, 
and  are  still  used  in  some  of  the  English  colleges  for  drink- 
ing beer.  They  are  sometimes  called  bowls,  and,  being  of 
different  sizes,  the  larger  ones  were  called  beer-bowls,  and 
the  smaller  wine-bowls,  in  old  inventories. 


Plates  of  silver  or  sil- 
ver-gilt were  used,  both 
at  dinner  and  at  what  is 
now  called  dessert.  The 
dessert-plates  are  the 
more  common,  though 
silver  trenchers  are 
sometimes  mentioned. 
The  “ conceites  after 
dinner,”  such  as  “appels, 
nuts,  or  creame,”  were 

no.  46. — cup  (1758);  gokham  mfo.  co.  doubt  placed  Upon 

them. 

Silver  “ spice-plates  ” occur  in  the  inventories  of  the  xiv. 
and  xv.  centuries. 

Dinner-plates  of  silver,  with  shaped  and  gadrooned  edges, 
are  found  commonly  in  the  last,  and  sometimes  of  the  pre- 


PLATES. 


NO.  45.  — CUP  AND  COVER  (1686)  ; CHRIST 
CHURCH,  BRUTON  PARISH,  VA. 


124 


OLD  PLATE. 


ceding  century,  replacing  the  simple  pewter  of  an  earlier 
generation. 

FORKS. 

Compared  with  spoons  these  are  a modern  invention. 
Neither  the  Greeks  nor  the  Romans  used  forks,  and  it  was 
customary  with  them  to  have  their  food  cut  up  into  small 
pieces  before  it  was  served ; besides  which  it  was  dressed  in 
such  a manner  as  to  be  exceedingly  tender,  and  easily 
divided  with  instruments  called  u ligulce ,”  closely  resembling 
our  spoons. 

It  is  quite  certain  that  forks  were  known  to  our  Anglo- 
Saxon  ancestors,  for  a knife  and  fork,  apparently  imple- 
ments of  daily  use,  were  found  in  an  Anglo-Saxon  burial 
ground  near  West  Salisbury,  England;  but  Mr.  Wright 
(“  History  of  Domestic  Manners  ”)  thinks  that  they  were  not 
used  by  them  for  feeding,  but  merely  for  serving ; they  were 
probably  derived  from  the  use  of  the  skewer,  or,  as  it  might 
be,  a one-pronged  fork.  No  mention  of  them  is  to  be  found 
in  xv.  century  treatises  on  etiquette  and  manners ; whilst  in 
early  wills  and  inventories  forks  seldom  occur,  except  now 
and  then  one  or  two  mounted  in  crystal  or  other  ornamental 
handles,  and  used  for  eating  pears  or  green  ginger.  These 
had  usually  two  prongs  only. 

In  a list  of  articles  belonging  to  Piers  Gaveston  (d.  1312), 
favorite  of  Edward  II.,  are  u Trots  furchesces  Tor  gent  pour 
mangier  poiresT 

Their  common  use  was  introduced  from  Italy  about  the 
beginning  of  the  xvii.  century,  and  the  following  passage  in 
the  “ Travels  of  Thomas  Cory  ate,  of  Odcombe,  near  Yeovil, 
1611,”  is  frequently  quoted  as  the  first  mention  of  forks  in 
England. 

“ I observed,”  he  says,  “ a custome  in  all  those  Italian  cities  and  townes 
through  the  which  I passed,  that  is  not  used  in  any  other  country  that  I 
saw  in  m»  travels,  neither  doe  I thinke  that  any  other  nation  of  Christendome 
doth  use  it  but  only  Italy.  The  Italian  and  also  most  strangers  that  are  com- 
morant  in  Italy,  doe  alwaies  at  their  meales  use  a little  forke  when  they  cut 
their  meate.  For  while  with  their  knife,  which  they  hold  in  one  hande. 


FORKS. 


125 


they  cut  the  meate  out  of  the  dish,  they  fasten  their  forke,  which  they  hold 
in  their  other  hande,  upon  the  same  dish,  so  that  whatsoever  he  be  that,  sit- 
ting in  the  company  of  any  others  at  meale,  should  unadvisedly  touch  the 
dish  of  meate  with  his  fingers,  from  which  all  at  the  table  doe  cut,  he  will 
give  occasion  of  offence  unto  the  company  as  having  transgressed  the  lawes 
of  good  manners  ; insomuch  that  for  his  error  he  shall  be  at  the  least  brow 
beaten,  if  not  reprehended  in  wordes.  This  forme  of  feeding  I understand 
is  generally  used  in  all  places  in  Italy,  their  forkes  being  for  the  most  part  made 
of  yron  or  steele,  and  some  of  silver  ; but  these  are  used  only  by  gentlemen. 
The  reason  of  this  their  curiosity  is,  because  the  Italian  cannot  by  any  means 
have  his  dish  touched  with  fingers,  seeing  all  men’s  fingers  are  not  alike 
cleane — hereupon  I myself  thought  good  to  imitate  the  Italian  fashion,  by 
this  forked  cutting  of  meate,  not  only  while  I was  in  Italy,  but  also  in  Ger- 
many, and  oftentimes  in  England  since  I came  home;  being  once  quipped 
for  that  frequent  using  of  my  forke,  by  a certain  learned  gentleman,  a famil- 
iar friend  of  mine,  one  Master  Laurence  Whitaker,  who  in  his  merry 
humour  doubted  not  to  call  me  furcifer,  only  for  using  a forke  at  feeding.” 

Their  Italian  origin  is  also  referred  to  by  Ben.  Jonson, 
who,  speaking  of  the  manners  of  Venice,  puts  into  the 
mouth  of  Sir  Politick  Would-be  : 

“ . . . Then  you  must  learn  the  use 

And  handling  of  your  silver  fork  at  meals.” 

Volpone  or  the  Fox , act  iv.,  scene  i. 

This  was  written  in  1607,  but  a few  years  later  (1616)  the 
same  writer  speaks  of  them  as  known  in  England : 

Sledge.  “Forks!  What  be  they?” 

Meer.  “ The  laudable  use  of  forks. 

Brought  into  custom  here,  as  they  are  in  Italy, 

To  the  sparing  of  napkins.” 

The  Devil  is  an  Ass,  act  v.,  scene  hi. 

Massinger,  too,  about  the  same  time,  recognizes  the  use 
of  the  fork  in  polite  society : 

“ I have  all  that’s  requisite 
To  the  making  up  of  a signior 
. . . and  my  silver  fork 

To  convey  an  olive  neatly  to  my  mouth.” 

The  Great  Duke  of  Florence , act  iii. 


126 


OLD  PLATE. 


The  following  extract  is  from  “ The  Accomplished  Lady’s 
Rich  Closet  of  Rarities,”  London,  1653  : 

“In  carving  at  your  own  table  distribute  the  best  pieces  first,  and  it  will 
appear  very  decent  and  comely  to  use  a forke  ; so  touch  no  piece  of  meat 
without  it.” 

It  is  curious  that  Shakspere  is  silent  on  the  use  of  silver 
forks,  since  they  were  the  subject  of  such  a constant  discus- 
sion, praise,  and  ridicule  at  that  period. 

“ Report  of  fashions  in  proud  Italy, 

Whose  manners  still  our  tardy  apish  nation 
Limps  after,  in  base  awkward  imitation.” 

King  Richard  II.,  act  ii.,  scene  i. 

From  this  time  their  employment  be- 
came more  general,  and  a fork  was  added 
to  the  knife  and  spoon  which  most  per- 
sons seem  to  have  carried  about  with  them 
for  their  own  use  wherever  they  went. 

The  large  dinner-forks,  which  we  now 
call  “ table  ” forks,  are  said  to  have  been 
first  used  in  France  by  the  Duke  de  Mon- 
tausier,  circa , 1645. 

Prince  Rupert  pimchased  twenty-four, 
forks  with  his  plates  in  1670,  and  Prince 
G-eorge  of  Denmark  a dozen  in  1686,  be- 
sides his  plates  and  trenchers.  These  cost, 
the  spoons  2s.  apiece  for  the  making,  and 
the  forks  2s.  and  6d.,  besides  the  silver,  at 
5s.  2 cl.  per  ounce. 

A set  of  twelve  amongst  the  domestic 
plate  at  Cotehele,  Cornwall  (Earl  of  Mount 
Edgecumbe),  was  made  in  1667,  and  it  is 
believed  that  these  are  the  oldest  now  in  use.  They  have 
plain  flat  handles  like  the  spoons  of  the  period,  of  which 
No.  2 in  the  illustration,  p.  88,  is  an  example;  but  the  tops 
are  not  so  much  cleft,  the  two  side  projections  being  rounded 
oft;  like  the  central  one.  One  of  the  handles  is  lengthened 
out  to  form  a marrow-spoon. 


no.  47.  — fork  (c.  1686); 

THE  PROPERTY  OF  MR. 
G.  WILKINSON. 


FORKS. 


127 


Another  such  set  is  mentioned  by  Viscount  Gort,  in  “Notes 
and  Queries,”  as  bought  by  one  of  his  ancestors,  in  1698,  of 
a Dublin  silversmith  named  Bolton,  whose  account  of  them 
was  as  follows : 

“For  12  forks,  wt  30  oz.  14  dwt.,  @ 6-10  per  oz.  £10.10.0.” 

A fork  similar  to  those  described  as  in  use  at  Cotehele 
was  found  in  1882,  thirty  feet  under  ground,  near  Covent 
Garden,  London,  and  is  now  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  G. 
Wilkinson,  of  the  Gorham  Manufacturing  Co.,  Providence. 
It  is  71  inches  long,  engraved  with  a coat  of  arms  at  the 
end  of  the  handle  (Molesworth),  and  is  stamped  with  the 
maker’s  mark  only,  twice  repeated.  This  mark*  — L C, 
crowned,  a crescent  with  points  upwards,  between  two  pel- 
lets below,  shaped  shield  — is  on  the  copper-plate  preserved 
at  the  hall  of  the  Goldsmiths  Company,  London,  with  the 
impressions  of  the  makers’  punches  between  1675  and  1697. 
Several  examples  of  old  silver  with  the  same  mark  are  in 
English  collections,  giving  by  their  date-letters  the  years 
1676,  1683,  1686,  1694.  A split-ended,  Hat-handled  fork  of 
the  year  1683,  with  four  prongs,  has  been  dug  up  in  the 
grounds  of  Eden  Hall.  It  bears  the  Musgrave  crest,  en- 
graved in  the  fashion  of  that  day,  and,  if  genuine,  it  must 
take  rank  as  the  most  ancient  English  four-pronged  table 
fork  known.  Most  probably,  however,  this  fork  has  been 
fashioned  out  of  a spoon. 

When  the  custom  arose,  most  likely  in  the  early  part  of 
the  last  century,  of  the  host  supplying  his  own  table  with 
the  plate  requisite  for  the  use  of  his  guests,  a much  larger 
quantity  was  needed,  and  more  and  more  as  time  went  on. 
It  has  been  suggested  that  a great  deal  of  old-fashioned, 
unused  plate  — ewers  and  basins,  and  the  like  — was  about 
a century  ago  melted  down  to  supply  this  new  want,  and 
that  the  magnificent  services  of  gilt  and  silver-plate  which 
were  then  made  for  royal  and  other  tables  were  provided 
in  this  way.  An  enormous  quantity  of  metal  must  have 
been  required  to  provide  silver  for  the  number  of  plates, 

* Mr.  Cripps  writes:  “The  maker  of  the  Pork  was,  as  I believe,  one 
Lawrence  Colds.” 


128 


OLD  PLATE. 


dishes,  sauce-boats  (never  found  before  the  reign  of  George 
II.,  1727),  spoons  and  forks,  which  were  fashioned  by  the 
makers  of  a hundred  years  ago  ; and  as,  at  that  period,  old 
plate  was  not  valued,  every  one  was  glad  to  change  anti- 
quated silver  articles  for  those  of  a newer  and  more  useful 
fashion.  The  handles  of  modern  forks  follow  the  shapes  of 
spoons.  Sometimes  the  handles  were  separable  from  the 
bowls  of  old  spoons,  to  be  used  as  forks. 

MONTEITHS. 

The  Monteith  was  a punch-bowl  which  seems  to  have 
come  into  fashion  with  the  new  standard  silver  of  1697  or 


NO.  48. — MONTEITH  (1702);  VINTNERS’  HALL,  LONDON. 


a little  earlier.  It  had  a movable  rim,  ornamented  around 
the  top  with  escallops  or  else  battlements  to  form  indenta- 
tions, in  which  the  glasses  were  placed  with  the  feet  out- 
wards, for  the  purpose  of  bringing  them  into  the  room 
without  breaking.  The  bowl  was,  of  course,  brought  in 
empty,  the  punch  being  made  in  the  room,  each  gentleman 
fancying  that  he  had  an  especial  talent  for  concocting  the 


CANDLESTICKS. 


129 


beverage,  and  a silver  ladle  and  lemon-strainer  were  brought 
in  with  it.  When  the  glasses  were  taken  out  the  bowl  was 
placed  on  the  table,  the  rim  was  removed,  and  the  process 
of  punch-making  commenced.  The  pierced  bowl  of  the 
old-fashioned  wine-strainers  (in  general  use  when  gen- 
tlemen decanted  them  own  port  wine  in  the  parlor)  served 
as  a lemon-strainer,  there  being  generally  a small  flat  hook 
at  the  side  of  it  by  which  it  was  appended  to  the  side  of 
the  bowl.  This  particular  pattern  of  punch-bowl  was  so 
called  after  a gentleman  of  fashion,  of  the  name  of  Mon- 
teith,  who  was  remarkable  as  wearing  a scalloped  coat. 

“New  things  produce  new  words,  and  so  Monteith 
Has  by  one  vessel  saved  himself  from  Death.” 

Wing’s  Art  of  Cookery. 


Beside  the  characteristic  rim,  their  fluted  bowls  should 
be  noted,  their  gadrooned  bases  or  feet,  and  the  large  rings 
hanging  from  lions’  months  which  are  almost  invariable. 
The  illustration  is  of  a Monteith  in  the  possession  of  the 
Vintners’  Company,  London. 


CANDELABRA,  CANDLESTICKS,  AND  SCONCES. 

These  are  occasionally,  but  not  very  frequently,  met  with 
in  wills,  accounts,  and  other  documents  of  every  period. 
There  is,  however,  little  to  be  said  about  them.  No  really 
ancient  specimens  are  known  to  exist  in  the  precious 
metals,  the  earliest  now  to  be  found  being  the  candlesticks 
shaped  as  fluted  columns  which  are  found  in  the  reign  of 
Charles  II.  They  have  square  bases,  which  are  sometimes 
cut  off  at  the  corners  so  as  to  become  octagonal,  and  have 
also  a projection  to  match  the  base,  but  smaller,  and  a con- 
venient distance  above  it,  to  serve  as  a knob,  by  which  to 
hold  or  carry  them.  In  the  time  of  William  and  Mary  and 
of  Queen  Anne  the  fashionable  candlestick  was  equally 
simple,  but  with  a baluster  stem,  terminating  in  a square 
base,  which  has  the  corners  cut  off  or  else  set  back  and 
rounded.  Additional  ornament  was  gradually  added  to  the 


130 


OLD  PLATE. 


plain  balusters.  A candlestick  of  1722  illustrates  a tran- 
sition period,  after  which,  at  about  the  middle  of  the  last 
century,  the  baluster  stem,  already  a little  modified,  became 
much  ornamented  with  the  oblique  gadrooning  of  Louis 
XV.  taste.  Towards  1765  it  finally  gave  way  to  the  Corin- 
thian column  pat- 
tern, which  was  the 
first,  it  may  be  ob- 
served in  passing, 
that  is  always 
found  with  remov- 
able socket-pans  or 
nozzles.  These  Cor- 
inthian columns  in 
turn  were  replaced 
by  candlesticks  or- 
namented with  fes- 
toons of  flowers,  or 
drapery  hanging 
between  bosses,  or 
medallions  which 
bear  masks  or  other 
devices  of  the  fash- 
ion introduced  by 
those  who  designed 
for  silversmiths 
and  potters  of  the 
time  of  Josiah 
Wedgwood.  Re- 

NO.  49.— CANDLESTICK  (1698);  MESSRS.  HOWARD  & CO.  TO O Vm1)1  C nOZZleS 

are  sometimes  to  be 

found  on  candlesticks  of  the  reign  of  Geo.  II.,  but  not  often. 
The  sockets  of  the  candlesticks  of  the  later  part  of  the 
century  are  in  many  cases  shaped  as  vases  ornamented  with 
hanging  wreaths. 

Silver  sconces  are  very  seldom  seen ; they  are  met  with 
as  early  as  the  year  1380  in  the  inventory  of  Charles  V. 
They  usually  consist  of  a back-plate  repousse  with  a coat 
of  arms,  and  one,  two,  or  three  branches  for  the  candles. 


TOILET  SERVICES. 


131 


TOILET  SERVICES  AND  BOUDOIR  FURNITURE. 


The  luxury  of  the  later  years  of  the  Stuarts  is  suitably 
illustrated  by  the  rich  toilet  services,  which  are  one  of  its 
creations.  They  came  into  fashion  at  about  the  Chinese 
period  of  which  mention  has  been  made,  and  more  than  one 
set  is  found  decorated  in  that  style. 

They  usually  consist  of  a number  of  pieces  of  silver  or 
silver-gilt,  a mirror  with  silver  frame,  candlesticks,  snuffers 
and  tray,  pincushion,  tazze,  boxes  for  trinkets  and  soap, 
sometimes  a basin  and  ewer,  and  a variety  of  other  articles. 
The  set  at  Knole  park,  the  property  of  Lord  Sackville,  is 
perhaps  the  best  known  of  all.  It  has  been  reproduced  by 
the  electrotype  process  for  the  South  Kensington  Museum, 
and  would  be  a valuable  addi- 
tion to  the  collection  of  replicas 
at  the  Metropolitan  Museum 
in  Central  Park. 

It  is  composed  of  a number 
of  toilet-boxes  and  a table- 
mirror,  the  boxes  plain,  ob- 
long, and  octagonal,  with  frost- 
ed panels,  and  their  covers 
bearing  coronets  and  pierced 
ciphers  fastened  on  with  pins 
and  nuts.  The  date  of  this 
service  is  1673.  There  is  also 
preserved  at  Knole  a table 
(1680)  entirely  covered  over 
with  plaques  of  silver,  beaten 
and  chased  with  acanthus  foli- 
age, scrolls,  etc.  Like  the  toilet 
boxes,  it  has  coronets  and 
pierced  monograms  attached 
in  the  same  way.  On  each 

side  of  the  table  stand  tall  silver  tripods  (gueridons)  for  can- 
dlesticks, and  above  it  hangs  a mirror  in  silver  framing  to 
match  the  table.  The  tripods  are  of  1676,  and  the  mirror 
was  probably  made  at  the  same  time  as  the  table,  being  evi- 
dently of  the  same  workmanship. 


NO.  50. — CANDLESTICK  (1  722)  ; THE 
PROPERTY  OF  MR.  R.  S.  ELY. 


132 


OLD  PLATE. 


There  are  several  boudoir-tables,  either  made  of  or 
mounted  with  silver  plaques  like  those  at  Knole.  Amongst 
them  are  two  at  Windsor  Castle.  Silver  fire-dogs,  or  andi- 
rons, also  occur  of  the  same  period  and  fashion.  Examples 
of  these  are  preserved  both  at  Windsor  and  Knole. 

WINE-CISTERNS  AND  FOUNTAINS. 

Not  less  magnificent  than  the  boudoir  furniture  that  has 
just  been  mentioned  are  the  great  wine-cisterns  that  are 
found  of  the  same  period.  These  cisterns  range  from  1665 
to  1735,  but  the  earlier  ones  are  not  accompanied  by  fount- 
ains. The  oldest  are  of  gigantic  size;  the  later  ones  are 
somewhat  smaller,  and  have  fountains,  or  great  covered 
urns,  or  vases  with  taps.  It  has  been  conjectured  that  many 
of  these  were  not  used  for  wine,  but  for  washing-up  the 
forks  as  required  on  the  sideboard. 

The  finest  and  largest  of  such  pieces  is  a cistern  at  the 
Winter  Palace,  St.  Petersburg,  a replica  of  which  is  at  the 
Metropolitan  Museum.  It  weighs  nearly  8000  ounces  and 
holds  60  gallons,  and  was  made  in  1734  by  one  Charles 
Kandler,  a silversmith  in  London,  from  a design  by  Henry 
Jernegan,  and  measures  5 feet  6 inches  long  by  3 feet  6 
inches  wide.  Perhaps  the  most  immense  and  one  of  the 
most  elaborate  pieces  of  decorative  plate  in  the  world,  it  is, 
no  doubt,  the  very  cistern  referred  to  in  the  journals  of 
the  House  of  Commons  for  1735,  in  a somewhat  curious 
connection. 

In  that  year  a lottery  was  authorized  by  Parliament  for 
raising  the  funds  necessary  for  building  a new  bridge  over 
the  Thames  at  Westminster;  and  the  same  Jernegan  is 
found  petitioning  the  House  to  take  as  a lottery  prize  a very 
magnificent  cistern,  upon  which  he  had  expended  a vast 
sum  of  money  and  years  of  work,  and  which  had  been  pro- 
nounced by  all  to  excel  anything  of  the  kind  that  had  ever 
been  attempted.  He  represented  that  although  he  had 
offered  it  to  various  foreign  sovereigns,  through  their 
ambassadors,  it  remained  upon  his  hands  unsold,  and  in  the 
end  Parliament  ordered  its  disposal  in  the  lottery.  How  it  got 


NO.  51. — WINE-CISTERN  (1734);  WINTER  PALACE,  ST.  PETERSBURG. 


WINE-CISTERNS. 


133 


134 


OLD  PLATE. 


eventually  to  the  Winter  Palace,  Mr.  Cripps,  who  discovered 
it  there,  has  not  yet  been  able  to  ascertain,  though  an  old 
engraving  describes  it  as  “ the  property  of  the  Empress  of 
Russia.”  The  official  description  reads : 

“This  remarkable  piece,  of  unusal  size  and  weight,  is  in  the  form  of  an 
oval  vase,  supported  on  four  leopards  or  panthers,  the  handles  nude  half-fig- 
ures of  a man  and  woman,  respectively,  with  scroll  terminals.  The  motive 
of  the  entire  decoration  is  Bacchanal,  the  greater  part  of  the  ornament  cast- 
work.  On  each  side  is  a panel  with  groups  of  boys  and  young  satyrs  play- 
ing, holding  bunches  of  grapes  and  drinking  ; between  the  panels  a deep  flut- 
ing ; round  the  rim  and  hanging  over,  both  inside  and  out,  are  applique' 
festoons  of  vines  and  bunches  of  grapes,  lizards,  flies,  frogs,  etc.,  in  great 
variety  of  fancy.  The  terminal  figures  hold  bunches  of  grapes,  and  the  same 
ornament  is  figured  here  and  there  and  applied,  giving  to  the  piece  a festive 
character.  The  leopards  have  collars,  and  are  chained  together  with  massive 
chains.  The  piece  is  lined  with  an  inner  skin,  engraved  with  a pattern. 
The  silver  is  of  Britannia  standard.” 


CASTERS  AND  CRUET-STANDS. 

Of  these  the  former  occur  at  the  commencement  of  the 
last  century,  or  a few  years  earlier,  and  are  occasionally 
found  of  great  size.  The  larger  ones  must  have  been 
intended  as  standing-pieces  for  the  decorations  of  side- 
boards ; but  it  would  be  difficult  to  produce  proof  of  the 
genuineness  of  some  of  the  specimens  that  have  changed 
hands  of  late  years.  The  natural  tendency  of  a demand  to 
create  a corresponding  supply  should  never  be  forgotten  by 
the  plate-collector  any  more  than  by  the  economist.  One 
of  the  earliest  cruet-stands  known  is  of  plain,  massive  sil- 
ver with  five  rings  and  central  handle,  the  rings  containing 
two  glass  cruets  with  plain  silver  caps  to  slip  over  the  necks 
by  way  of  stoppers,  and  three  shaped  casters  of  silver  with 
pierced  tops  for  sugar,  pepper,  etc.,  one  large,  and  two  to 
match  of  smaller  size.  They  are  of  much  the  same  fashion 
as  the  sets  of  three  casters  so  often  seen,  of  dates  ranging 
from  1720  to  1770,  but  they  are  of  plainer  fashion  than 
more  modern  examples.  The  separate  casters  seem  to  have 
formerly  formed  part  of  the  fittings  of  cruet-stands. 


TEA  AND  COFFEE  SERVICES. 


135 


A reproduction  of  two  beautiful  sets  of  casters  may  be 
seen  at  the  Metropolitan  Museum.  They  fit  into  the  center- 
piece  or  epergne,  the  work  of  Paul  Lamerie  in  1734.  The 
originals  belong  to  Count  Bobrinsky,  of  Moscow. 

TEA  AND  COFFEE  SERVICES,  KETTLES,  ETC. 

Tea  and  coffee  must  have  been  well  known  in  England 
many  years  before  we  find  silver  tea-pots  or  coffee-pots  in 
common  use.  A toy  tea-pot  with  tea -cup  and  tea-spoon 
of  the  year  1690  is  known.  This  is  also  about  the  date  of 


the  first  earthenware  tea-pots.  The  earliest  tea-pot  known 
to  Mr.  Cripps  in  actual  domestic  use  is  one  of  1709.  It  has 
a raised  conical  lid  and  small  flap  shutter  to  the  spout.  V ery 
few  are  found  for  the  next  twenty  years ; but  a great  num- 
ber of  both  tea  and  coffee  pots,  tea-caddies,  and  kettles 
were  made  in  the  reigns  of  George  I.  and  George  II.;  at 
first  of  very  plain  design,  but  afterward  more  freely  orna- 
mented with  chasing  and  repousse  work. 

The  coffee-pot  of  the  reign  of  George  I.  was  a plain  one, 
tall  and  tapering,  often  octagonal,  and  with  a conical  octag- 
onal lid  to  match.  Tea-pots  are  found  of  very  similar 
fashion  as  far  as  regards  the  lids,  but  with  the  round  or 


136 


OLD  PLATE. 


octagonal  body  swell- 
ing ont  at  the  lower  part 
into  a bowl  instead  of 
baying  straight  upward 
sides.  . Chocolate-pots 
of  the  same  period  are 
of  plain,  tapering,  cylin- 
drical form. 

In  the  time  of  George 
II.  and  the  early  days 
of  George  III.  gadroons 
and  flower-wreaths  in 
the  Louis  Quinze  taste 
will  be  looked  for;  and, 
later,  oval  tea-pots  en- 
graved with  festoons, 
knots  of  ribbon,  and 
medallions  are  usually 
found.  The  earliest  ket- 
tles are  globular,  either 
quite  plain  or  with  a little  engraving ; sometimes  they  are 
fluted  to  resemble  melons  or  gourds.  They  are  always  on 
open-work  stands,  with  feet ; and  to  these,  spirit-lamps,  often 
of  a later  date,  are  fitted. 

There  is  no  better  example  of  the  melon-shaped  tea- 
kettle than  one  in  the  royal  collection  at  Windsor  Castle. 
This  stands  on  a triangular  tray,  and  is  of  the  year  1732. 

Later  in  the  century,  urns  succeeded  to  kettles ; many  of 
them  are  of  the  pointed  oval  shape  then  so  popular,  and  are 
chased  or  engraved  with  festoons  and  medallions  to  match 
the  tea-pots  of  the  period. 

Tea-caddies  are  not  commonly  found  till  the  time  of 
George  II. ; but  all  through  that  reign  sets  of  two  tea-cad- 
dies and  a basin,  fitted  into  shagreen  cases,  were  very  fash- 
ionable. Some  of  them  afford  good  examples  of  chased 
flowers  and  foliage,  which  are  very  sharply  executed  in  high 
relief.  Such  caddies  were  usually  also  supplied  with  a small 
spoon,  with  pierced  bowl  and  long,  pointed  handle,  used  for 
straining  the  tea  and  clearing  the  spout  of  the  tea-pot  before 


NO.  53. — COFFEE-POT  (1764);  SALTERS’  HALL, 
LONDON. 


TEA  AND  COFFEE  SERVICES. 


137 


the  introduction  of  the  fixed  strainer  at  the  inner  end  or 
insertion  of  the  spont.  They  are  often,  but  erroneously, 
called  strawberry  spoons. 

Of  the  minor  accessories  of  the  tea-table  a few  words 
may  be  said.  A wire  basket,  or  strainer,  was  sometimes 
hung  in  the  spout  of  the  tea- 
pot, answering  the  same  pur- 
pose as  the  pierced  spoon. 

Of  another  kind  was 

*“The  silver  strainer,  on  which, 
in  more  economical  times  than  ours, 
the  lady  of  the  house  placed  the  tea- 
leaves,  after  the  very  last  drop  had 
been  exhausted,  that  they  might 
afterwards  be  hospitably  divided 
amongst  the  company,  to  be  eaten 
with  sugar  and  with  bread  and  but- 
ter.” 


About  tea-spoons,  there  is 
nothing  to  be  said  that  can- 
not be  gathered  from  the  gen- 
eral article  on  spoons. 

Cream- jugs  simply  follow  the  fashion  of  larger  vessels, 
the  earliest  being  plain  and  solid  like  tiny  helmet  ewers, 
later  ones  of  rococo  or  of  Louis  XV.  designs,  and  the  latest 
not  unlike  the  chocolate-pot  of  1777  here  shown,  but  with  a 
small  square  foot. 

The  chocolate-pot  (No.  55)  is  in  the  South  Kensington 
Museum,  and  was  u perhaps  designed  by  one  of  the  Adams’, 
whose  style  it  represents  admirably.” 

CAKE-BASKETS  AND  EPERGNES. 

These  are  classed  together  because  the  former  often 
formed  the  central  or  uppermost  portion  of  the  latter,  and 
they  are  of  precisely  similar  style  of  workmanship.  They 
are  objects  of  considerable  importance  in  the  plate-collec- 


NO.  54. — KETTLE  AND  STAND  (1732); 
WINDSOK  CASTLE. 


*St.  Ronan’s  Well,  chap.  x. 


138 


OLD  PLATE. 


tions  of  the  last  century,  and  great  taste  and  skill  were 
expended  upon  their  production.  Most  of  them  were  made 
between  1730  and  1780. 

An  early  basket  of  a design  peculiar  to  Paul  Lamerie 
(1731)  is  of  imitation  wicker-work,  with  handles  of  the 
same.  A more  elaborate  example  by  the  same  hand  is  the 
property  of  the  Count  Bobrinsky,  at  Moscow,  a reproduc- 
tion of  which  is  in  the  Metropolitan  Museum. 

“This  fine  center-piece  for  the  dinner-table  consists  of  a bowl-shaped 
plateau  on  feet,  which  supports  a dish  and  holds  in  sockets,  the  positions  of 
which  may  be  varied,  trays  for  sweetmeats,  candlesticks,  and  cruet-frames, 
with  pepper  and  sugar-casters,  etc.  It  is  the  work  of  Paul  Lamerie,  and  one 
of  the  finest  pieces  of  the  kind  from  his  hand  in  existence.” 

It  bears  the  London  date-letter 
T,  1734.  The  body  of  the  central 
dish  is  chased  as  wicker-work.  To 
this  (which  seems  to  have  been  a 
favorite  pattern)  succeeded  the 
pierced  baskets,  ornamented  also 
with  chasing  and  repousse  work, 
which  were  very  common  in  the 
middle  of  the  century.  Many  of 
them  are  of  excellent  design  and 
finish. 

The  piercing  of  the  later  baskets 
is  sometimes  rather  rude,  the  holes 
being  merely  punched  out  of  the 
sheet  of  silver,  without  much  ad- 
ditional ornament,  except  some  in- 
tervening rows  of  small  punched 
bosses.  During  the  last  quarter  of 
the  century  baskets  were  not 
pierced,  but  are  solid,  and  either 
Anted  or  lobed-like  escallops,  or  ornamented  with  chased 
bands  of  foliage. 

Where  these  pierced  baskets  form  the  crowning  ornament 
of  epergnes,  or  center-pieces  for  table  decoration,  they  are 
accompanied  by  a number  of  smaller  baskets  of  the  same 


NO.  55. -chocolate-pot  (1777); 

SOUTH  KENSINGTON  MUSEUM. 


CONCLUSION. 


139 


design  as  the  large  one,  all  of  which  could  he  detached  from 
the  branched  stand  which  supported  them  and  handed  with 
the  fruits  or  sweetmeats  they  were  made  to  contain. 

CONCLUSION. 

The  history  of  plate-working  has  now  been  surveyed  in 
as  much  detail  as  is  possible  within  the  compass  of  a small 
hand-book.  Many  of  the  subjects  only  touched  upon  here 
would  require  a volume  if  they  were  dealt  with  exhaust- 
ively, but  enough  has  been  said  about  each  to  give  the 
reader  an  idea  of  the  varying  fashions  of  successive  art- 
periods.  All  will  agree  that  there  is  a singular  interest  in 
goldsmiths’  work,  and  it  is  this : that  whilst  it  has  preserved 
to  us  in  comparatively  imperishable  materials  specimens  of 
the  art-workmanship  of  every  decade,  from  the  Glothic 
period  to  our  own,  it  has  given  us  at  the  same  time  the 
means  of  dating  these  specimens  with  far  greater  certainty 
and  accuracy  than  is  the  case  with  any  other  series  of  art- 
objects  that  have  come  down  to  our  time. 

In  this  way  it  becomes  possible  to  use  old  silver-work  as  a 
key  for  the  dating  of  very  many  and  very  different  objects 
which  could  only  be  assigned  in  a general  way  to  their  period 
in  art-liistory,  but  for  the  indirect  aid  that  a system  of  hall- 
marking has  thus  incidentally  supplied.  In  no  other  way  can 
the  gradual  melting  of  Glothic  into  Renaissance  style  be  so 
delicately  measured,  or  the  sequence  of  the  art-epochs  which 
we  are  in  the  habit  of  calling  by  the  names  of  the  French 
monarchs  of  the  xviii.  century.  The  accuracy  with  which 
both  French  and  English  silver-work  can  be  dated  enables 
us  to  trace  the  style  known  generally  as  “ Style  de  Louis 
XV.”  through  three  separate  developments  in  a way  that 
would  otherwise  be  almost  impossible  ; and  the  same  may 
be  said,  in  a greater  or  less  degree,  of  almost  every  other 
well-known  period  from  early  days  to  the  end  of  the  xviii. 
century. 

This  is  the  point  at  which  it  has  seemed  convenient  to 
break  off  the  various  notices  which  make  up  the  foregoing- 
sketch. 


140 


OLD  PLATE. 


The  art  of  the  goldsmith  in  the  early  days  of  the  present 
century  made  less  than  no  progress.  Like  other  seasons  of 
rest,  this  interval  has  in  our  time  been  followed  by  a revival 
which  promises  much. 

* Accustomed  as  we  all  are  to  the  genius  of  America  in 
mechanics,  witnessing  her  mighty  engineering  works,  and 
knowing  the  boldness  of  American  thought  and  invention, 
and  the  ingenuity  and  skill  which  her  citizens  apply  to  the 
carrying  out  of  their  conceptions,  we  have  been  rather  too 
apt  to  overlook  the  advance  they  have  made  in  the  arts  and 
in  the  application  of  them  to  them  manufactures.  Whilst 
crediting  them  with  the  greatest  skill  in  the  invention  and 
production  of  all  labor-saving  contrivances,  and  in  the 
making  of  articles  of  daily  use  and  service  by  new  and  im- 
proved methods,  we  have  been  blind  to  the  great  strides 
they  have  been  taking  in  recent  years  in  the  manufacture 
of  those  articles  to  which  art  is  applied,  and  in  the  produc- 
tion of  which  there  must  be  at  least  some  knowledge  and 
feeling  for  design,  of  which,  till  lately,  the  old  countries 
believed  they  possessed  the  exclusive  monopoly. 

Perhaps  the  manufacture  to  which  American  art  is  now 
applied  most  characteristically  is  that  of  the  silversmith 
and  the  worker  in  the  more  precious  metals, 

In  the  following  chapter  is  described  in  detail  some  of  the 
plate  to  be  found  in  our  churches, — not  but  that  there  are  fine 
examples  in  private  collections,  but  because  it  can  safely 
be  said  that  it  has  never  changed  hands,  so  that  the  au- 
thenticity of  the  dates  relied  on  may  be  insured  beyond  all 
possible  question. 

Chronological  lists  of  examples  are  also  given,  with  tables 
of  London  and  Paris  date-letters  and  a copy  of  the  makers’ 
marks  (1675-1697)  from  the  copper-plate  preserved  at  Gold- 
smiths Hall,  London. 

* The  “ Magazine  of  Art,”  December,  1885. 


CHAPTER  IX 


ECCLESIASTICAL  PLATE. 


NEW  YORK  — NEW  JERSEY  — PENNSYLVANIA  — DELAWARE  — MARYLAND  — MASSA- 
CHUSETTS — NEW  HAMPSHIRE  — RHODE  ISLAND  — CONNECTICUT  — 

NORTH  CAROLINA  — SOUTH  CAROLINA  — VIRGINIA. 


NEW  YORK  — TRINITY  CHURCH. 


HIS  church  was  founded  in  1696,  but  earlier 
than  this  there  was  a chapel  in  the  Fort,  to 
which  “ the  Queen  sent  plate,  books,  and  other 
furniture.” 

The  vessels  yet  remaining  are  : 

Alms  bason,  Dia.  13  in.  Two  marks : — 1,  Lion  passant ; 
2,  small  black-letter  g,  London,  1684. 

Engraved  with  the  Royal  arms  between  the  initials  VV\.  R. 
Paten  with  foot,  Dia.  81  in.  Four  marks : — *1,  Lion  pas- 
sant ; 2,  Leopard’s  head  crowned ; 3,  small  black-letter  r, 
London,  1694 ; 4,  maker’s  mark  F-G,  pellet  below,  shaped 
shield. 

Engraved  with  the  Royal  arms  between  the  initials  W\.  R. 

The  maker,  Francis  Garthorne,  of  Sweechings-lane,  had  the  patronage  of 
King  William  and  Queen  Mary,  and  was  much  employed  by  Queen  Anne. 
He  entered  his  name  at  the  Hall  in  April,  1697,  but  his  mark  for  the  old 
standard,  F G,  is  found  on  the  copper-plate  at  Goldsmith’s  Hall  struck 

* The  marks  are  taken  in  this  order  for  convenience. 


141 


142 


OLD  PLATE. 


-COMMUNION  SERVICE  (1709);  TRINITY  CHURCH,  NEW-YORK. 


NEW- YORK. 


143 


between  1675  and  1696.  His  Britannia  mark,  Ga,  the  a small  within  the 
G,  is  frequently  met  with.  He  made  plate  for  Windsor  Castle,  1689; 
some  of  the  communion-plate  of  S.  Margaret’s,  Westminster,  London, 
1691  ; also  at  Kensington  Palace  Chapel,  1714.  In  the  United  States  his 
mark  is  on  plate  belonging  to  S.  Anne’s,  Annapolis;  Trinity  Church  and 
S.  John’s  Chapel,  New  York;  S.  Peter’s,  Albany  (some  of  which  is  now  in 
Canada),  and  on  a set  originally  presented  to  King’s  Chapel,  Boston,  now 
divided  between  Christ  Church,  Cambridge,  and  S.  Paul’s,  Newburyport. 


NO.  57.  — ALMS  BASON  (1747)  ; TRINITY  CHURCH,  NEW-YORK. 


Two  Flagons,  H.  12£  in.  Two  Chalices,  H.  104  in.  Two 
Patens,  Dia.  6f  in.  Alms  bason,  Dia.  13  in.  Four  marks : 
— 1,  Lion’s  head  erased ; 2,  Britannia ; 3,  Court  hand  0, 
London,  1709 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  Ga,  the  a small  within  the  G, 
pellet  below,  shaped  shield  (Francis  Garthorne).  All  en- 
graved with  the  Royal  arms  between  the  initials  A.R. 

Alms  bason,  Dia.  13  in.  One  mark:  — GR  (Probably 
Geo.  JRidouE  of  London,  ent.  as  freeman  of  the  Citu  of  New 
York , Feb.  mh,  1745). 

The  inscription  engraved  on  the  face  of  the  bason  is 
shown  in  the  illustration.  On  the  underside  is  the  coat  of 
arms  of  Robert  Elliston,  Comptroller  of  the  Port  from  1720 


144 


OLD  PLATE. 


to  1755.  Arms  : Per  pale  an  Eagle  displayed.  Crest : an 
Eagle’s  head  erased,  gorged  mnrally.  Motto  : Bono  Vince 
Malum,  and  the  inscription : 


H.ZEC 

AMULA  seu  LANX 
HUIC  ECCLESI^l 
CONFERTUR. 


Alms  bason,  Dia.  13  in.  Paten,  Dia.  6 in.  Four  marks : 
— 1,  Leopard’s  head  crowned ; 2,  Lion  passant ; 3,  old  Eng- 
lish <D5,  London,  1760 ; 4,  maker’s  mark  3 (Mordecai 
Fox).  Both  engraved  with  the  Royal  arms  between  the 

initials  G.  R. 

Chalice,  H.  9|  in.  Four  marks  : — 1,  Leopard’s  head 
crowned ; 2,  Lion  passant ; 3,  Old  English  capital  31,  London, 

1764 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  T H 
crowned  (Thomas  Heming). 
Engraved  with  the  Royal  arms 
between  the  initials  G.  R. 

Alms  bason,  Dia.  13  in.  The 
marks,  maker  and  engraving  as 
on  the  chalice,  but  the  date-letter 
for  1766,  Old  English  capital  IL. 

Paten,  with  foot.  One  mark, 
B R. 

S.  JOHN’S  CHAPEL. 


Flagon,  H.  11  in.  Chalice, 
H.  8 in.  Four  marks : — 1,  Lion 
passant ; 2,  Leopard’s  head 

crowned ; 3,  small  black-letter  r, 
London,  1694  ; 4,  maker’s  mark 
F-G,  pellet  below,  shaped  shield 
(Francis  Garth orne).  Both  en- 


no. 58. — chalice  (1764);  trinity 

CHXJRCH,  NEW- YORK. 


graved  with  the  Royal  arms  between  the  initials  V\A  R. 

The  paten  belonging  to  Trinity  Church  with  the  same  marks  must  have 
originally  formed  part  of  this  set. 


YEW -YORK. 


145 


ALBANY. 

S.  PETER’S  CHURCH. 

Two  Flagons,  H.  13  in.  Chalice,  H.  91  in.  Paten,  Dia. 
9 in.  Paten,  Dia.  6 in.  Alms  bason,  Dia.  12  in.  Four 
marks : — 1,  Lion’s  Lead  erased  ; 2,  Britannia ; 3,  Conrt- 
liand  Q,  London,  1711 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  Ga,  the  a small 
within  the  G,  pellet  below,  shaped  shield  (Francis  Glar- 
thorne).  All  engraved  with  the  Royal  arms  between  the 

initials  A.  R. 

Inscription  on  all  the  vessels : 


cevecL  AesAcevecL,  o^'KscL  xsJL  IesEe  A tcEvEOcEt^EG--rEE  e-^e 
^A'nEe^EEtE-CE , Al'S'E  SrEcLocEyG 


A>AcEjE!jE'Z't  G-ft  'L-IeS^  L>  VEG~-'>EcLcEtU-E^UEE. 


A similar  set  of  five  pieces,  with  the  same  marks  and  inscription,  except 
that  it  reads  “to  Her  Indian  Chappel  of  the  Mohawks,”  was  taken  from 
Fort  Hunter  when  the  tribe  migrated  into  Canada.  A Flagon,  Chalice 
and  Alms  Bason  are  at  Brantford.  A Flagon  and  Paten  at  Deseronto.  Here 
the  vessels  are  in  the  care  of  a Mohawk  woman  — a granddaughter  of  the  late 
Captain  Joseph  Brant.  The  Flagon  has  a dent  in  its  side,  made  by  a spade 
when  it  was  buried  in  the  earth  during  the  Revolution. 

The  service  at  Albany  has  been  frequently  applied  for  by  the  Onondaw- 
gus,  but  as  the  authorities  claim  that  the  Queen  presented  it  to  the  chapel 
(now  S.  Peter’s),  and  not  to  the  tribe,  they  decline  to  give  it  up. 


WESTCHESTER. 

S.  PETER’S  CHURCH. 

Chalice,  H.  94  in.  Paten,  Dia.  54  in.  Four  marks : — 1, 
Lion’s  head  erased  ; 2,  Britannia ; 3,  Court-hand  N,  London, 


10 


146 


OLD  PLATE. 


1708 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  E A fleur-de-lis  below,  shaped 
shield  (John  Eastt).  Inscription  on  each : 


A 


RYE. 

CHRIST  CHURCH. 


Chalice,  H.  8 in.  Paten,  Dia.  6 in.  Both  with  the 
same  marks  and  inscription  as  at  S.  Peter’s,  Westchester. 


XT 


no.  59. — chalice  (1708): 

S.  GEORGE’S,  HEMPSTEAD. 


HEMPSTEAD,  L.  I. 

S.  GEORGE’S  CHURCH. 

Chalice,  H.  91  in.  Paten,  Dia. 
51  in.  Both  with  the  same  marks 
and  inscription  as  at  S.  Peter’s, 
Westchester,  and  Christ  Church, 
Rye. 

Paten,  Dia.  101  in-  Pour  marks : 
— 1,  Lion  passant ; 2,  Leopard’s 
head  crowned ; 3,  old  English  capi- 
tal IL,  London,  1766;  4,  maker’s 
mark,  I C monogram,  shaped  shield. 
On  the  rim  are  dotted  the  initials 
* B* 

A*E 


Baptismal  bason.  Dia.  81  in.  One  mark,  S S. 


Inscription : 


Ives  o-j'  JJjv.  ^ Gs'vZsiv 

$)V.  -^esGsV^ses  A-  vw  AsGsnv -psiisVescL  /j35 


V7V 


NEW- YORK. 


147 


JAMAICA,  L.  I. 


T~~T 


GRACE  CHURCH. 

Chalice,  H.  104  in.  Paten,  Dia.  64  in.  Four  marks : — 1, 
Lion’s  head  erased ; 2,  Britannia ; 3,  Court-hand  I,  London, 
1704 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  W I 
fleur-de-lis  below,  shaped  shield 
(John  Wisdome). 

Inscription  on  chalice : 


^lA^g-yi^o-v-c^vgcLg^ 

0u UK, 

i Oif- 


In  the  Journal  of  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign 
Parts  is  this  entry,  dated  17th  Novem- 
ber, 1704:  “Agreed  that  a sum  not 
exceeding  £ 15  be  allowed  to  the 
Church  of  Jamaica,  in  Long  Island,  for 
Vestments  and  for  Vessels  for  the  Com- 
munion table.” 


no.  60.—  chalice  (1704) ; 

GRACE  CHURCH,  JAMAICA. 


Alms  bason,  Dia.  94  in.  One  mark,  T-H  twice  repeated. 
Inscription  round  rim : 


^L-pt  G-^  SK,  ^7L  G-'UpV  3*0-  CUC 

(Jl^  S^t&Mscb 


i / 76  / 


* * * 


148 


OLD  PLATE. 


NEW  JERSEY— BURLINGTON. 

S.  MARY’S  CHURCH. 

The  corner-stone  was  laid  in  1703  by  the  Rev.  John  Tal- 
bot, who  shortly  after  was  called  to  England. 

On  his  return  in  1708  he  *“  acquainted  us  that  he  had  presented  an 
humble  address  to  Her  Majesty,  and  the  other  letters  that  we  sent;  and  that 
Her  Majesty  had  been  graciously  pleased  to  give  us  ...  a Silver  Chalice 
and  Salver  for  the  Communion  Table.” 


Chalice,  H.  7$  in.  Paten,  Dia.  5 in.  Four  marks : — 1, 
Lion’s  head  erased ; 2,  Britannia ; 3,  Court-hand  K,  London, 
1705 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  dotted  punch  (William  Oibson). 
Inscription  on  each : 


c Jfi 


“He  also  brought  us  an  Embossed  Silver  Chalice  and  Patten,  the  gift  of 
Madame  Catharine  Bovey,  of  Flaxley.” 

Chalice,  H.  10  in.  Paten,  Dia.  41  in.  One  mark,  on  paten 
only.  Ne,  shaped  escutcheon  (Anthony  Nelme,  London, 
1697-1722). 

Inscription  on  under  side  of  foot  of  each  : 


t 


I, 


The  chalice  is  on  a baluster  stem,  the  bowl,  stem  and  foot 
richly  chased  with  cherubs’  heads,  emblems  of  the  Passion, 
and  foliage. 

* “ History  of  the  Church  in  Burlington,”  Dr.  Hills. 


NEW  JERSEY. 


149 


Beaker,  H.  8 in.,  with  cover  and  crown ; fully  described 
in  a previous  chapter.  (P.  119.) 

PERTH  AMBOY. 

s.  peter’s  church  (Founded  1698-99). 

Oh  at, toe,  H.  84  in.  Paten,  Dia.  44  in.  Four  marks:  — 1, 
Lion  passant;  2,  Leopard’s  head  crowned;  3,  Lombardic 
capital  <0,  external  cusps,  London,  1611 ; 4,  maker’s  mark. 
A Catherine  wheel  crowned  (?),  shaped  escutcheon.  En- 

E H 

graved  on  the  underside  of  foot  of  paten  The  lip  of 

the  cup  and  the  under  side  of  paten  have  the  usual  Eliza- 
bethan band,  three  times  interlaced. 

There  is  no  evidence  as  to  the  manner  in  which  these  vessels  came  into 
the  possession  of  the  church.  An  entry  in  the  records  refers  to  the  presen- 
tation of  a chalice,  ewer  and  paten,  which  were  probably  brought  from  Eng- 
land by  the  Rev.  John  Talbot.  #ccAt  a meeting  of  the  Vestry  of  thechurch 
at  Perth  Amboy,  September,  23rd,  1728,  resolutions  of  thanks  were  passed 
to  the  widow  of  Rev.  John  Talbot  for  the  present  of  a silver  chalice  and 
ewer,  and  a silver  paten,  which  are  still  used  in  the  services  of  that  church.” 


Chalice,  H.  74  in.  Paten,  Dia.  5 in.  The  same  marks  as 
on  the  chalice  and  paten  at  S.  Mary’s,  Burlington. 
Inscription  on  each : 


Flagon,  H.  11  in.  One  mark,  S S. 

This  mark  is  on  the  Baptismal  bason  at  S.  George’s  Church,  Hempstead, 
L.  I.,  dated  1 735,  and  on  a Tankard  and  Chalice  at  Immanuel  Church,  New- 
castle. 

Paten,  Dia.  84  in.  One  mark,  B R twice  repeated. 

* Whitehead’s  History  of  Perth  Amboy. 


150 


OLD  PLATE. 


A similar  mark  is  on  a Paten  at  Trinity  Church,  New  York. 


Paten,  Dia.  4f  in.  Four  marks  : — 1,  Lion’s  head  erased ; 
2,  Britannia  ; 3,  Roman  capital  F,  London,  1721 ; 4,  maker’s 
mark,  Pa,  shaped  shield.  This  is  probably  the  paten  pre- 
sented by  the  widow  of  the  Rev.  John  Talbot. 

Chalice,  H.  4 in.  Paten,  Dia.  2f  in  — for  administering 
to  the  sick.  Fonr  marks  : — 1,  Lion  passant : 2,  Leopard’s 
head  crowned;  3,  Roman  capital  Gr,  London,  1722;  4, 
maker’s  mark,  I S mitre  (?)  above,  shaped  shield. 

On  the  bowl  of  chalice  is  engraved  the  crucifixion,  with 
ministering  angel.  Opposite  to  this  is  inscribed  : 


teinity  chuech  (Formerly  Swedish- Lutheran,  but  since 
the  Revolution  Episcopal). 

Chalice,  H.  8 in.  Paten,  Dia.  4f  in.  No  marks. 
Inscription : 


Around  foot : 


SWEDESBOROUGrH. 


NEW  JERSEY. 


151 


cjtt 

J^GsCsk&sO-'Hs  / J 3 / 


The  tradition  is  that  these  vessels  came  from  Sweden,  but  why  inscription 
in  English  ? Swedesborough  is  built  on  Rackoon  Creek. 


PENNSYLVANIA  — PHILADELPHIA. 
christ  church  (Organized  1695). 

Flagon,  H.  10£  in.  Chalice,  H.  9 in.  Paten,  Dia.  5|  in. 
Pour  marks : — 1,  Lion’s  head  erased ; 2,  Britannia ; 3,  Court- 
hand  M,  London,  1707 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  E A,  fleur-de-lis 
below,  shaped  shield  (John  East). 

These  marks,  but  with  the  date-letter  for  the  following  year,  are  on  piate 
at  Westchester,  Rye  and  Hempstead. 


Inscription  on  Flagon  and  Chalice : 


T 


s. 


tis  uAsUsYK, 


& 


CsCsLzs^isV,  e- 


c^L-UstJs 

Jl  B 


IjOS 


*“  Mr.  Evarts  (Rev.  Evan  Evans,  D.  D.,  Rector,  1700-1719),  on  his  return 
from  England,  brought  with  him  the  communion  plate  presented  to  the 
church  the  preceding  year  by  the  Queen.” 


History  of  the  American  Episcopal  Church.  Bishop  Perry. 


152 


OLD  PLATE. 


Flagon,  H.  104  in.  (a  duplicate  of  tliat  presented  by 
Queen  Anne).  Baptismal  bason,  Dia.  15  in.  (63  oz.  2 dwt). 
One  mark,  P S,  repeated  three  times  on  Flagon,  four  on 
Bason.  Inscription : 


ju 

■<00-11  ^o-4-aOot  Q 
to*  (fcstsVijt-  L4U  S IlaJLgucLz 

tke,  aytfc,  sL^  ijib 


Two  Alms  basons,  Dia.  9f  in.  Four  marks  : — 1,  Lion 
passant ; 2,  Leopard’s  head  crowned ; 3,  small  black-letter 
r,  London,  1694 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  R P,  pellet  above  each 
letter,  one  below,  shaped  shield. 

This  mark  is  to  be  found  on  the  copper-plate  preserved  at  Goldsmiths 
Hall,  with  the  punches,  from  1675  to  1697. 

Inscription  : 


'^Dc-'LL 

tAs- 

tLlt*  /7/J 


Alms  bason,  Dia.  94  in.  One  mark,  C G,  between  two  five- 
pointed  stars  (probably  Caesar  Gfriselm). 

Beaker  (Apostel  Kriige),  H.  74  in.  Two  marks  : — 1, 
The  arms  or  town  mark  of  Cologne ; 2,  maker’s  mark,  cZ, 
monogram,  plain  shield. 

Richly  engraved  ; the  upper  part  with  medallion  figures 
of  six  of  the  apostles,  viz. : s.  petrus,  s.  paulus,  s.  joannes, 
s.  jacobus,  s.  mattheus,  s.  thomas;  the  lower  part  with 

fruit  and  foliage  in  clusters  and  the  initials 


PJENF8YL  VANIA. 


153 


Beaker,  H.  44  in.  Inscription  : 


t 


■es  cj/t'Vt'  J(J(j3^^co\ses\ 


«J^ lisl'to^cL. 


ucu 


Chalice  Spoon.  One  mark,  a dubois.  Engraved  on  han- 
dle, X T C. 


gloria  dei  (Old  Swedes’  Church). 

The  present  church  building  was  dedicated  1700  ; it  stands  in  that  part  of 
Philadelphia  formerly  known  as  Wicacoa. 

Tankard,  H.  74  in.  One  mark,  I R. 

A similar  mark  is  on  plate  at  S.  Michael’s,  Bristol,  R.  I.,  dated  1734. 

Inscription : 


154 


OLD  PLATE. 


- tL^  & ^ust/oeSuCLVO  ToltsV^- 

oJt  ^£^<LsC-'  ^JJ-'^V^C^  fyc-nOisXsO  / //A 


R 

On  back  of  handle,  ^ 

Mrs.  Vanderspiegle  was  the  daughter  of  the  first  pastor, 
Rev.  A.  Rudman. 

Chalice  Spoon.  One  mark,  W D. 


DELAWARE  — LEWES, 
s.  peter’s  church. 


Elagon,  H.  10  in.  Chalice,  H.  9 in.  Paten,  Dia.  10£  in. 
Mark  on  Flagon,  I David ; on  Paten,  I D.  None  on  Chalice. 
Inscription  on  each  piece  : 


The  G-ift  op  the  Honble  John 


no.  62. — beaker; 

S.  ANNE’S.  MIDDLETOWN. 


Penn  Esqre  to  St  Peter’s  Church 
at  Lewis  Town  June  10th  1773. 


APPOQUINBIINK 

(MIDDLETOWN). 

S.  ANNE’S  CHURCH. 

Beaker,  H.  6 in.  One  mark,  I N, 
the  N reversed. 


NEWCASTLE. 

IMMANUEL  CHURCH. 

Tankard,  H.  7 in.  Chalice,  6£  in.  One  mark,  S S. 


DELAWARE. 


155 


This  mark  is  on  the  baptismal  bason  at  S.  George’s,  Hempstead,  dated 


WILMINGTON  (Christina). 

TRINITY  CHURCH  (THE  OLD  SWEDES). 

Chalice,  H.  in.  Paten,  Dia.  6 in.  Pyx  (or  bread-box), 
oval,  3f  in.  x 3 in.  x 1£  in.  deep. 

Marks:  — On  Chalice,  C B;  on  Pyx,  C B,  a character  sim- 
ilar to  the  Court-hand  h,  and  H N,  shaped  shield. 
Inscription  on  howl  of  Chalice  : 


>735- 


On  the  six  “ buttons  ” of  Knop : 


A A A K t A 


On  the  under  side  of  foot  of  Chalice : 


gUcJL  ^ ■H,  ‘i'fy vet 


On  rim  of  Paten : 


156 


OLD  PLATE. 


The  inscription  on 
cover  of  Pyx  is  modern. 


The  Rev.  Eric  Bjork,  through 
whose  exertions  the  church  was 
built,  and  pastor  of  the  con- 
gregation from  1696  to  1714, 
was  recalled  to  Sweden  by  the 
famous  Charles  XII.  in  1713, 
and  appointed  pastor  of  the 
church  in  Fahlun  and  provost 
of  the  district,  where  he  lived 
till  his  death  in  1740.  Fahlun, 
a town  in  Dalecarlia,  is  cele- 
brated for  its  copper  mines,  but 
they  are  not  so  productive  as 
formerlv.  Translated,  the  in- 
scriptions read  : On  Chalice, 

Take  and  drink,  this  is  my  blood. 

Gift  of  the  Mining  Company  of  Fahlun  to  Holy  Trinity  Church  at 
Christina,  in  Pennsylvania,  A.  D.  1718. 

Assessor  and  Mine  Master,  Andrew  Swab. 

Magister  Eric  Bjork,  Pastor  of  Fahlun,  formerly  at  Christina,  in 
Pennsylvania. 

On  Paten  : Take  and  eat,  this  is  my  body. 

MARYLAND  — ANNAPOLIS. 

S.  ANNE’S  CHURCH. 

Flagon,  H.  11 J in.  Chalice,  H.  9f  in.  Paten,  Dia.  of 
in.  Paten,  Dia.  7£  in.  Alms  bason,  Dia.  11  4 in.  Four 
marks : — 1,  Lion  passant ; 2,  Leopard’s  head  crowned ; 3, 
small  black-letter  London,  1695 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  F G, 
pellet  below,  shaped  shield  (Francis  Garthorne).  All  en- 
graved with  the  Royal  arms  between  the  initials  W.R. 

HYATTSVILLE  — PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

Flagon,  II.  12  in.  Two  Chalices,  H.  9 in.  Four  marks: 
1,  Lion’s  head,  erased  ; 2,  Britannia ; 3,  Court-hand  m,  Lon- 
don, 1707  ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  ^ (Jt  monogram  (Matt.  E. 
Lofthouse). 


NO.  63. — CHALICE  AND  PATEN  (1718); 
TRINITY  CHURCH,  WILMINGTON. 


MARYLAND. 


157 


This  service  at  one  time  belonged  to  the  old  church  at  Patuxent,  or 
Upper  Marlboro.  It  was  probably  presented  by  Colonel  Ninian  Beall,  who 
gave  the  ground  upon  which  the  church  stood.  He  was  one  of  the  earliest 
Presbyterian  elders  in  the  country,  his  name  occurring  in  the  colonial  rec- 
ords as  early  as  January,  1667. 

The  patens  have  long  since  disappeared. 


NO.  64. — FLAG-OX  AXD  CHALICE  (1707)  ; HYATTSVILLE,  3ID. 


SALISBURY — S.  PETER’S  CHURCH. 

Chalice,  H.  9f  in.  Paten,  Dia.  5 in.  Four  marks: — 1, 
Lion  passant ; 2,  Leopard’s  Lead,  crowned;  3,  small  Roman 

W 

q,  London,  1751;  1,  maker’s  mark  W • S (Fm.  Shaw  and 
Win.  Priest).  p 

The  Paten  is  engraved  with  the  sacred  monogram  within 
rays ; the  inscription  around  howl  of  chalice  reads  : 


A 


G7\ 


i. 


V ‘SbL 


158 


OLD  PLATE . 


MASSACHUSETTS. 


BOSTON  — THE  FIRST  CHURCH. 

This  society  was  founded  1630,  John  Winthrop,  the  first 
Governor  of  Massachusetts,  being  one  of  its  originators.  In 


1632  was  built  the  first  edifice 


NO.  65. — DUMMER  CREST  AND  INSCRIPTION. 

Flagon,  H.  13  in.  One  mar] 
Inscription  : 


which  was  ever  reared  for 
public  worship  in  the  town 
of  Boston.  In  1808  the  so- 
ciety moved  to  the  fourth 
spot  and  its  fifth  house,  the 
present  house  of  worship 
being  dedicated  December 
10th,  1867. 

Flagon,  H.  13  in.  One 
mark,  I E crowned,  fleur- 
de-lis  below,  shaped  shield. 
Engraved  with  crest  in  an 
ornamental  cartouche. 

The  gift  of  Lieutenant 
Governor  Dummer. 

:,  S.  BARTLETT. 


3 loo-  ^olt 


3 ‘loo-nA-coiu  ’coote- 

to- 

loo-  3*  o\—^—t  t3o—o  “o c-^lo  o-f  {fl 


l^o-fLCo-i'U 
[cou,  !5tL  IJJ5. 


Cup,  standing,  on  Hanap,  H.  12  in.  Four  marks : — 1, 
Lion  passant ; 2,  Leopard’s  head,  crowned  ; 3,  Lombardic  N, 


MAS  8 A CHlT SETTS. 


159 


with  external  cusps,  London,  1610 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  T G 
three  pellets  above,  shaped  shield.  This  mark  is  much 
worn. 

The  bowl  of  cup  is  tapering,  chased  with  foliage  and  sea-monsters;  the 
baluster  stem  has  three  s-shaped  scrolls  at  the  lcnop  ; the  foot  is  bell-shaped, 
chased  with  acanthus  leaves.  The  cover  is  wanting.  Cups  of  this  date  are 
in  use  as  chalices  in  many  churches  in  England.  That  at  S.  Mary’s,  Amble- 
side,  is  a fine  example  (ante,  p.  107).  The  Carpenters  Company,  London, 
have  four,  of  the  years  1609,  161 1,  1613,  and  1628  (O.  E.  P.). 

Inscription  around  rim : 


Chalice,  H.  9 in.,  on  tall  baluster  stem.  Four  marks  : — 
1,  Lion  passant ; 2,  Leopard’s  head,  crowned ; 3,  Italic  i , 
London,  1626 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  T F in  monogram,  plain 
shield. 

This  mark  is  found  on  communion  plate.  Temple  Church,  London,  1609; 
on  the  cup  belonging  to. the  Carpenters  Company,  1611,  and  on  other 
valuable  plate. 

Engraved  on  bowl,  ^ g 

Chalice,  H.  71  in.  Wine-glass  shape.  Four  marks : — 1, 
Lion  passant ; 2,  Leopard’s  head,  crowned ; 3,  Court-hand  a, 
London,  1638 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  I C between  two  pellets, 

F 

heart-shaped  shield.  Engraved  on  bowl  p 

Chalice,  H.  91  in.  Four  marks  : — 1,  Lion  passant ; 2, 
Leopard’s  head,  crowned ; 3,  Court-hand  C,  London,  1639  ; 
4,  maker’s  mark,  T G pellet  below,  shaped  shield. 
Inscription : 

Cfloes  o cl.  I # H 

T 

On  bowl,  g p 


160 


OLD  PLATE. 


Chalice,  H.  8 in.  One  mark,  I • D pellet  between,  fleur- 
de-lis  below,  heart-shaped  shield  (John  Dixwell). 
Inscription : 


tbio  cLo-'yuc-'  A D 


. e^sA^  i/Lfs  T A 


Chalices,  three,  H.  8£  in.  Two  marks : — 1,  I H,  seeded 
rose  below,  heart-shaped  shield;  2,  R S,  mullet  above,  shaped 
shield  (John  Hull  and  Robert  Sanderson). 

Inscription  : 


||Jl  O' 


Pastor  of  the  First  Church  1670.  d.  1674. 


Chalice,  H.  8£  in.  Two  marks,  as  above  — the  seeded 
rose  above  I H. 

Inscription : 


On  foot,  16^1. 

Chalice,  H.  8 in.,  baluster  stem.  Two  marks,  as  last. 
Inscription : 


O'l-LtZ'  T * C 

T 

On  back,  q 

Chalice,  H.  5f  in.  Two  marks,  as  last.  Engraved  on 

# H * „ F 

bowl,  Q-  # JJ  *.  on  foot?  jp 

Chalices,  three,  H.  9 in.,  baluster  stems.  One  mark,  I D 
fleur-de-lis,  heart-shaped  shield. 

Inscription : 


MASS  A GEU  SETTS. 


161 


o-^-  {btcL^'Ls  IbuvcL^ylts 

to-  tioe^  j-o^^t  cXit'tcX  oyl-  Tu-o-i^to-yo 
IJ08 

Chalices,  two,  H.  81  in.  One  mark,  D-H.  Engraved 
with  coat  of  arms,  and  inscription  : 


Cflve^ 

t'A-  ^i^cboa^  tM-o^yt-c-o-  CsL 
"t  O — LAc  0—  ^— ■ — LL  t- 

o-'^-  'bbsutA't  uku 
Hc-^tc-yL, 

$e^ut  q IJJ3 


This  beautiful  engraving  is 
evidently  the  work  of  Nathaniel 
Hurd,  the  maker  being  most 
probably  his  brother-in-law, 

Daniel  Henchman. 

Chalice,  H.  7 in.  One 
mark,  B S.  Inscription: 

o-f  i s 

Tankard.  One  mark, 

I D,  fleur-de-lis  below, 
heart-shaped  shield 
(John  Dixwell). 

Inscription  : N0-  66.— hancock  arms. 

O’bes  O--^  $)c^vu.L  JJjoA^  to-  pOL&fc 

VYL-  77/7 

On  back  of  handle,  g g 

n 


162 


OLD  PLATE. 


Tankard.  One  mark,  B H,  crescents  below,  shaped  shield. 
Inscription  : 


o-' t-e^ 


s^cunt-t 
t'O-' 

vyt,  l^Ay-^to-syv 

Tankard.  One  mark,  I C,  fleur-de-lis  below,  heart-shaped 
shield.  Inscription : 

!Jlves 

Jtla^cLo^yyu  §>Loi^  t/f’ 

o-^ 

oyv 

IJ52 

On  back  of  handle, 

Tankard.  One  mark,  I E,  crowned,  fleur-de-lis  below, 
shaped  shield. 

Inscription : 


CS-. 


r 


X 

^Z’lALL 

'blvUs,UCr--lLs  O-/  ■’blLA^OzLt 


On  back  of  handle 


WL, 

iJJ3 

B 


’ N H. 


MASS  A C HU SETTS. 


163 


Cup.  One  mark,  W.  P.  Inscription : 


'^G-A^tcoHscL 

'to-'  (sloes  O-^-  'blt/oUO't 

uvo  Tbo-Joto-^u  tsloe^  u^e- 

tsloo*  O'cots-te^. 


/;// 


Cups,  two.  One  mark,  i hurd.  Engraved  with  coat  of 
arms  and  inscription  : 


Cftoes  o-^  /D 


S^COOO-'tt' 


^o-^cotJtcov^  nf  oLLooonofo 
t'O-'  i-A-OCs  tt)  toLO  U O-io- 

^liA^o^st  oro  Ibootc-^o 
cot  lotfo 

d(ooV<Jo  &*]  1/37 


Cup.  One  mark,  revere. 


NO.  67. — WILLIAMS  ARMS. 


Beaker.  Two  marks,  I H and  R S,  as  "before  on  the  chal- 
ices (John  Hull  and  Robert  Sanderson).  A broad  band  of 
granulated  ornament  surrounds  the  beaker,  a plain  shield 

T 

being  left  below  the  rim,  on  which  is  pounced,  B # C . 

1659 

Beaker,  as  the  previous  one.  One  mark,  I H,  seeded  rose 

T 

above  (John  Hull),  -g  # q on  shield,  no  date. 

Beakers,  three,  H.  7 in.  One  mark,  I E,  crowned,  llenr- 

T 

de-lis  below,  shaped  shield.  Engraved,  q ^ 


164 


OLD  PLATE. 


Beaker,  H.  7 in.  Three  marks : — 1,  three  saltire  crosses, 
one  above  the  other,  crowned,  mark  of  the  City  of  Amster- 
dam ; 2,  I G,  seeded  rose  below ; 3,  E in  an  oval  punch, 
probably  the  maker’s  mark  and  date  letter. 


NO.  68. — BYFIELD  ARMS. 


The  beaker  is  richly  engraved  with 
foliage,  fruit  and  birds;  below  the  top 
it  is  surrounded  by  an  Elizabethan 
band  of  ornament,  three  times  inter 
laced  in  hour-glass  curves. 


s 

R E 


are 


The  initials 
pounced  on. 

Alms  basons,  four,  Dia.  13 
in.  One  mark,  revere. 
Inscription : 


it,  i 


SUVIAH  THAYER  cho  CL-/ 

tLe,  FIRST  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST  lit, 
BOSTON  A.  D.  Ijtfjp. 


Baptismal  bason,  Dia.  13£  in.  One  mark,  i hitrd.  En- 
graved with  coat  of  arms.  Byfield. 

Spoons,  two,  rat-tail.  One  mark,  I E,  in  lobed  escutcheon. 

T 

Engraved,  q q . 

THE  SECOND  CHURCH. 

This  church,  established  in  1650,  was  burnt  during  the 
ministry  of  Increase  Mather,  in  1676,  being  rebuilt  the  fol- 
lowing year.  It  was  demolished  by  order  of  General  Howe, 
December,  1775.  On  the  evacuation,  1776,  the  parishioners 
joined  the  New  Brick  Church,  and  a formal  union  was 
effected  1779,  under  the  corporate  name  of  The  Second 
Church.  At  this  time  several  valuable  articles  of  silver- 
plate,  being  unnecessary,  were  sold. 


MA  SSA  C HU SETT  S. 


165 


Flagon,  H.  13  in.  One  mark,  I B,  crowned,  pellet  below, 
plain  shield.  On  the  side  opposite  the  handle  is  engraved  a 
coat  of  arms  and  an  inscription. 


NO.  69. — FRIZELL  ARMS  AND  INSCRIPTION. 


166 


OLD  PLATE. 


John  Frizell,  a wealthy  merchant,  and  one  of  the  most  generous  bene- 
factors of  his  time,  was  one  of  the  few  men  who  kept  a carriage,  and  the  first 
brick  stable  in  Boston  was  the  one  he  built  on  Moon  street.  (“Rambles  in 
Old  Boston,”  Porter.) 

Flagon,  H.  13  in.  Two  marks,  S B in  circle,  and  s : 
BURRILL  in  plain  oblong.  It  is  engraved : 


Liu  t^uZs  ^Au^-t 


'tA 


iuLiL-ZuUu  tsZu 
euCuG-V^dL  (^UuiuCuliu 

(^AuLaL  UAu  Ibu'At'G-AU 
Be/C-e^i-  /J33 


Mrs.  Frizell  was  the  widow  of  John  Frizell. 

Flagon,  H.  13  in.  One  mark,  P O,  heart-shaped  shield. 
Inscription : 


JJjui,  feti^aJL-zuLiiu  Hi' euvUuteuys 

Cfcu  tubuZu 

(/yt sLiut 

1733 


lulAu 


Flagon,  H.  13  in.  One  mark,  bridge.  Engraved  with 

coat  of  arms  and  inscription.  (No.  70.) 

* 

William  Welsteed  was  pastor  of  the  New  Brick  Church  from  1728  to 
1753.  He  married  a sister  of  Governor  Hutchinson.  William  Waldron 
was  the  first  pastor,  1722—1727. 


MA  SSA  GEE  SETTS. 


167 


/u,  b-tar'  tow  arch  ius  — - 


NO.  70. — WELSTEED  ARMS  AND  INSCRIPTION. 

Tankabd,  H.  6 in.  One  mark,  I B,  crowned,  pellet  below, 
plain  shield, 
inscription : 


NO.  71. — INSCRIPTION  ON  TANKARD  (1724). 


168 


OLD  PLATE. 


Tankard.  H.  6 in.  One  mark,  I : Potwine. 


Inscription : 


o-^-  %(ascLnc-  ft 
to-  e^t o~* 


clA^o^Iu  i e^tiutesescL 

(JLtoVc-/o  I *]*]  5 


Tankard.  One  mark,  T T. 

Cup,  two-handled.  One  mark,  I R,  crowned,  shaped 
shield. 


Inscription  : 


x 


■y,  ^o-A-oyo^ 

tfc^  P(  a- to-  !^,\sUCshs 


NO.  72.—  GOODRIDGE  ASMS. 


Cup,  two-han- 
dled. One  mark, 
I R,  crowned,  pel- 
let below,  plain 
shield. 

Inscription : 


4: 


D-'&'VL' 

t-r-.-  tloZs  ,P^. 


W L 


\*sG-' 


Aucsfes  (fc-voAcslis 
I723=lf 


MA  SSA  CHU SETT 8. 


169 


Cup,  two-handled.  One  mark,  I G,  crowned,  quatre- 
foil  below,  plain  shield.  Engraved  with  coat  of  arms  and 
inscription : 


Mr.  R.  C.  Lichtenstein  finds  the  arms  to  be  those  of  Walter  Goodridge, 
and  this  is  probably  correct.  He  was  baptized  at  the  Second  Church,  July, 
1701.  (“History  of  Second  Church,”  Robbins.) 

Cup,  two-handled.  One  mark,  I G,  as  above;  the  date, 
1731,  is  scratched  underneath. 

Cups,  two-handled,  two.  Marked  G H,  crowned,  pellet 
beneath,  plain  shield. 

Cup,  two-handled.  One  mark,  hurd. 

Alms  bason,  Dia.  15  in.  One  mark,  E W,  fleur-de-lis 
below,  shaped  shield.  A coat  of  arms  is  engraved  on  rim. 

Possibly  presented  by  John  Foster,  an  opulent  merchant,  a parishioner  and 
warm  supporter  of  Dr.  Increase  Mather. 


Alms  basons,  two.  Marked  E W,  as  above,  and  each 
engraved  with  the  same  coat  of  arms  on  rim. 


IJ30 


NO.  73. — FOSTER  ARMS. 


NO.  74. — HUTCHINSON  ARMS. 


170 


OLD  PLATE. 


Inscription  on  back  of  one  : 


3>cL/LO-'C^‘ucL 

3 a-  -Live*-  3>  e^c-'G-'yucL  wu  Ro^iut  O-K 


171-1 


On  back  of  the  other : 


^JltsG-WVO^iu  -Uyu^o-^L' 

Livs^  $)zsCsG-At,cL  uyu 

The  uncle  and  father  of  Governor  Hutchinson. 


■VL’  evi 


r >1“ 


Baptismal  bason.  Marked  E W,  as  above.  Engraved  with 
coat  of  arms  on  rim,  and  on  the  underside  surrounding 
rim : 


3Lo-c^  ^o.^ti-ofco(4'  ti  Ho-iut  O-'PL^V'O- 

(Ooc^e-ii^cte.  c^cLtoiisUsni'  3-  3- 

cL^cLocscjtMswi'  CX.cLo^'nt-u^yrt'  i/jO' 

^VLA^  t^isLisU  eAut- 

/ 8 1706 


In  the  pedigree  of  the  Winthrops  occurs  this  passage  (Adam  Winthrop 
writing  of  his  son  Adam,  b.  1706):  “Baptized  at  the  North  Church,  by- 
Cotton  Mather,  in  a silver  bason,  then  dedicated  by  me  to  the  Church.” 


Spoons,  two,  rat-tail,  pierced  for  strainers.  One  mark 
on  each,  P R (Paul  Revere  ?). 


MASS  A CHUSETTS. 


171 


NO.  75. — WTNTHBOP  AKMS. 


In  a list  of  "Legacies  and  Donations  to  the  Second  Church  ” (Robbins’ 
History),  "Dame  Dorothy  Saltonstall  left  by  her  will  fifty  pounds  for  a 
flagon.”  This  may  have  been  among  the  plate  sold  at  the  time  of  the  union 
with  the  New  Brick  Church. 


The  Third  Church  in  Boston  was  organized  by  a party  of 
dissatisfied  members  of  the  First  Church,  who  withdrew  in 
1669,  and  erected  “a  meeting-house  of  cedar,  two  stories 
high,  with  an  imposing  steeple.”  Here  Benjamin  Franklin 
was  baptized,  1706.  The  present  brick  building  was  built 


Flagon.  One  mark,  w burt.  Engraved  with  coat  of 
arms  — a shakefork : Crest,  a unicorn’s  head.  Motto : 
“ Youre,  youre.” 

Inscription : 


THE  OLD  SOUTH,  OR  THIRD  CHURCH, 


1730, 


172 


OLD  PLATE. 


A man  of  large  wealth,  who  died  in  London,  1748,  and  left  by  his  will 
sixty  ounces  of  silver  to  be  made  “ into  some  proper  vessel  for  the  Com- 
munion Table.”  (Hist.  Cat.  of  Old  South.) 


Flagon.  One  mark,  Minott.  Engraved  with  coat  of  arms 
— on  a chief,  three  crescents  of  the  first  — Crest,  a falcon 
volant. 

Inscription : 


JJjG-  ^G-Ig^s  G 

t-G-  t-luG-  ^G'Ujblt,  -&/Iggg/gcgIg 

GVG  IgCGGcL  ^G'UG'VLs  UJ-IgG'  JLgGgL  GjL  ‘GG-CG  JigCv^  l 
IJfiL)  G-VG  IgG G GzGLggGIG  ~Lg-  IgGG  VGGgLg'IGG'  ^GG-VGcL. 


Flagons,  two.  One  mark,  moulton.  Engraved  with  coat 
of  arms. 


Inscription : 


l* 

Cf^G-G-  31'O-wJ'  Hjy gLCgCG-WG  gPIggLLg^gG  SgC^ 

tsG-  t^t^G-  G-i-G^lG  (^IG'G’gIg  GVG 

l^G'G'L 

^CGrGy,  / <5  / 80lf. 


Flagon.  One  mark,  moulton. 


MA  SSA  CEU SETTS. 


173 


Inscription : 


Co-  tCe-  diet  (fcvuXcC, 

3'l^e-'  Co-iC'C  Cl^o-^.  B 

CL.  B.  I80<j. 


c^iv-eAu 


Tankard.  One  mark,  I C,  crowned ; animal  below,  shaped 
shield. 

Inscription : 


Sx'  cLo-'tvo-  V. 


C-'G-'d-C^ . 


Samuel  Moore  gave  a tankard  to  “ye  first  church,'"’  1717.  The  same 
mark  is  on  one  of  the  Old  South  beakers,  and  on  a cup  given  by  “ Elias 
Parkman  to  ye  New  Nh  Church.” 


Tankard.  One  mark,  I E,  crowned,  fleur-de-lis  below, 
shaped  shield.  Engraved  with  the  Sewell  coat  of  arms  — 
a chev.  between  three  bees,  volant.  Crest,  in  a chaplet  of 
roses  a bee  volant. 


Inscription : 


to-  tCe-  Co-ujtb-  (Itu-Xc-C  IJ30 


The  same  mark  is  on  some  First  Church  silver. 


Tankard.  One  mark,  w cowell. 


174 


OLD  PLATE. 


Inscription : 


ju  t 

tAs  <Us  S'C'e^ta^'t^cL 

to-  ’fch-'Zs  Old  s^G^UstJc- 

(ttto'C'Cylc-  </e^£  J 5 
//£<? 


The  maker  is  referred  to  in  “ Annals  of  King’s  Chapel  ” : 

“1728,  May7th,  To  Cash  pd  Wm.  Cowellfor  Mr.  Wats’s  plate,  ^25.05. 10.” 


Chalice,  H.  7|  in.,  chased  and  gilt.  Four  marks  : — 1, 
Lion  passant ; 2,  Leopard’s  head,  crowned ; 3,  Lombardic  K, 
with  external  cusps,  London,  1607 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  C-  B, 
pellet  between,  small  rose,  or  a mullet  below,  plain  shield. 

This  maker  made  a vast  quantity  of  notable  plate,  still  in  the  possession 
of  various  London  guilds  and  other  public  bodies,  between  1606  and  1630. 
(See  O.  E.  P.) 


Chalice,  H.  8 in.  Four  marks:  — 1,  Lion  passant;  2, 
Leopard’s  head,  crowned;  3,  date-letter,  indistinct;  4, 
maker’s  mark,  M,  mullet  below,  heart-shaped  shield. 


This  mark  is  found  on  London-made  plate,  1659—1672  (O.  E.  P.),  and 
on  a Chalice  and  Paten  at  Martin’s  Brandon,  Virginia  (1659). 


Inscription : 


X ‘Ij  $ 


MASSACHUSETTS. 


175 


Chalice,  H.  7 in.  Two  marks,  I H,  seeded  rose  above, 
R S,  mullet  above  (John  Hull  and  Robert  Sanderson),  as  on 
First  Church  plate. 

Chalice,  H.  7£  in.  One  mark,  I D,  fleur-de-lis  below,  heart- 
shaped  shield  (John  Dixwell). 

Inscription : 


Chalice,  H.  8i  in.  One  mark,  I D,  as  before. 

Chalice,  H.  10  in.,  beautifully  chased,  on  baluster  stem, 
Roman  shape.  Three  marks  (much  worn) : — 1,  the  letter  A 
crowned,  the  mark  of  the  Paris  Farmer  of  duties  (probably 
Julien  Berthe);  2,  date-letter  L,  crowned,  Paris,  1751;  3, 

maker’s  mark,  ARD  crowned,  two  crossed  palms  between. 

(Alexandre  de  Ronssy  f) 

Inscription : 


Chalice,  H.  10  in.,  baluster  stem.  One  mark,  revere. 
Inscription : 


(fcvLSuott,  GcJb.  / y7  / 8 V'  cLosscL 


(Jot.  ii.  / 7 58  Jl&  J2. 


176 


OLD  PLATE. 


Beaker,  H.  4J  in.  Two  marks,  I H,  and  R S (John  Hull 
and  Robert  Sanderson),  as  on  the  First  Church  chalices, 
given  by  John  Oxenbridg. 

Beaker,  H.  in.  Two  marks,  S C and  I C,  crowned,  ani- 
mal below,  shaped  shield,  as  on  tankard,  “ Ex  dono  S. 
More.”  S C may  be  the  initials  of  the  donor. 

Beaker,  H.  6 in.  One  mark,  I C,  crowned,  etc.,  as  last. 

Inscription : 


Scratched  on  bottom,  I] ! 5. 

Beaker,  H.  in.,  richly  chased.  Two  marks: — 1,  a 
dagger,  with  four  stars  at  the  sides  and  a cross  at  the  point, 
crowned;  mark  of  the  City  of  Haarlem;  2,  Y date-letter.  On 
one  side  is  engraved  a coat  of  arms — three  crescents  jes- 
sant,  as  many  estoiles — Crest,  an  estoile  of  sixteen  rays; 
and  the  inscription: 


Martha  Saffin  was  the  daughter  of  Captain  Thomas  Willet,  and  the  wife 
of  John  Saffin.  (Hist.  Cat.  of  Old  South.) 


M x J.  j-i>  z/5 


QLlft  //  Be-o  ys. 


On  the  opposite  side  the  inscription : 


Beaker,  H.  5J  in.,  richly  chased.  Two  marks,  indistinct. 


MASSACHUSETTS. 


177 


Inscription : 


'TV  /.'/X  / J-t  J 0 . ± l r t> 


a b B 


13  I J / 3 cte^o0^  J-ouu^es  2,*]  I*]  3^-  i/l&fcajt-  81 

Baptismal  bason,  Dia.  15£  in.  One  mark,  I C,  fleur-de-lis 
below,  heart-shaped  shield.  Engraved  on  rim  with  a coat  of 
arms,*  bearing  the  badge  of  a baronet — those  of  Clarke, 
Warwickshire,  1617 — three  swords  erect  in  pale.  Crest,  a 
hand  conped  at  the  wrist,  holding  a sword. 

Inscription : 

a sLL. 


Widow  of  William  Clark;  married  Governor  Saltonstall.  “In  1723 
Madame  Mary  Saltonstall,  wife  of  Governor  Saltonstall,  gave  ^100  cur- 
rency ” to  Harvard  College.  (“  History  of  Harvard  College,”  S.  A.  Elliot.) 

In  Wisner’s  “ History  of  Old  South  Church  ” appears  the  following  entry  : 
“At  a church  meeting,  April  5 th,  1731,  Whereas,  the  Hon.  Colonel  Fitch 
hath  obligd  this  church  with  a new  sett  of  Flaggons,  voted,  that  three  of  the 
fiaggons  formerly  used  be  given  to  the  church  in  Hopkinton  as  a token  of 
our  brotherly  respect  and  love.” 


The  original  edifice  was  constructed  in  1689.  In  1749  the 
corner-stone  of  the  present  building  was  laid  by  Governor 

* This  coat  of  arms  appears  on  a tombstone  in  the  Granary  Burying 
Ground,  Boston,  to  the  memory  of  the  Rev.  Joseph  Eckley,  D.  D. , pastor 
of  the  Old  South,  1779-1811. — Heraldic  Journal. 


KINGS  CHAPEL. 


12 


178 


OLD  PLATE. 


Shirley.  At  the  evacuation  Dr.  Caner,  the  rector,  fled  with 
the  British,  taking  with  him  the  church  registers,  plate, 
and  vestments.  The  plate,  which  was  the  gift  of  three 
kings,  and  amounted  to  2800  ounces  of  silver,  was  never 
recovered. 

After  the  Revolution,  “the  first  Episcopal  church  in  New 
England  became  the  first  Unitarian  church  in  America.” 

In  1872  some  members  of  the  congregation  purchased 
from  Messrs.  Bigelow,  Kennard  & Co.  the  remainder  of  the 
vessels  originally  belonging  to  the  New  North  Church 
(founded  1714),  which,  after  joining  the  Bullfinch  street 
church,  had  become  extinct.  Nine  of  the  pieces  had  passed 
out  of  their  hands, — a handsome  silver  tankard,  given  by 
Gfovernor  Hutchinson,  and  bearing  the  arms  of  the  family, 
going  to  a descendant  in  England. 

A description  of  the  other  pieces  has  been  kindly  fur- 
nished by  Mr.  W.  H.  Kennard : 

“ Two  tankards.  — ‘ New  North  Church,  October  20,  1714.’ 

“ A tankard. — ‘ The  gift  of  John  Frizell  unto  the  New  Church  of  Christ, 
at  the  North  End  of  Boston,  1718.’ 

“A  cup. — ‘ Given  by  Mr.  Samuel  Barrett  to  the  New  North  Church, 
1723-’ 

“ A cup  with  two  handles.  — £ The  gift  of  Mr.  Samuel  Barrett  to  the  New 
North  Church  of  Christ  in  Boston,  May  4,  1728.’ 

“A  tankard. — ‘ The  gift  of  Mr.  John  Harrod  to  the  New  North  Church 
of  Christ  in  Boston,  1729.’ 

“ A tankard. — ‘ The  gift  of  Mrs.  Abiel  Pen  Ruddock,  widdow , to  the  New 
North  Church  in  Boston.’ 

“ A large  flagon. — ' Given  by  Elder  Cheever,  July  23,  1750.’  ” 

There  were  also  four  large  “ Pewter  Platters,”  which  are  now  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  New  England  Historical  and  Genealogical  Society. 


A heliotype  of  the  chancel,  showing  the  table  and  sacred 
vessels,  is  given  in  the  # “ Annals  of  Kings  Chapel.”  Some 
of  the  vessels,  however,  are  modern. 

Ewer  or  Flagon.  One  mark,  revere. 

(Stands  in  center  of  heliotype.) 


* Rev.  H.  W.  Foote. 


MASS  A CSU SETT 8. 


179 


Plate.  One  mark,  moulton. 
Inscription : 


to- 


lOtYL 'pi- 


COcLcOYY^  l^ytotLj'OyOC-lo 
IJcjS 


This  maker’s  mark  is  on  flagons  presented  to  the  Old  South,  1804,  1809. 


Baptismal  bason,  Dia.  13  in.  One  mark,  revere. 
Inscription : 


^o^t  o- 
{bts-z-roosZ-eOo  C^L  uu-eSu- 


!J<J8 


Plate,  Dia.  9 in.  One  mark,  I D,  fleur-de-lis  below, 
heart-shaped  shield.  (John  Dixwell.) 

Engraved  with  coat  of  arms  and  inscription  on  rim  : 


Jlu,  foLoU  UJ-COio  Y/UO-  Cot  YYoy,  t-lOotlo 

-coyocL  0*cotloe-O 
ty{cotic^L  to  coOy,  &Ocjs 
(fccofoU,  IJ<j8 


Flagon,  H.  13  in.  One  mark,  J0HN 

’ BURT. 

Engraved  with  crest  and  inscription  : 


180 


OLD  PLATE. 


3 ^ 3^-t-  o-^-  JJjisiu 
z-oc-cg  3/ o-'LcAg-^,  £e-  t&ses 
9(jzsuj-  -^t-u^uc-lis 

&o*l£>o-Ms  o-t-  vj-'Lsucstt'  tlt^s 
3[e-v-  ,^-L-  3{ e-&3i-  o^yi-cL 

<^e-  3^g-v-cL  33  &3o-t^ 

XXA^S-  3cUALoAlAu  / 7 ^-5 


Flagon,  H.  13  in.  One  mark,  1 bridge. 
Inscription : 


3'hse- 

OF 

MRS  MARY  HUNEWELL 

*E)e-x>cC  ’to-  tslise-  9[_  G-VG- 
1 ' GA-t3  ^//O/LcX 


BOSTON 

!*]  5 1 


Tankard,  H.  7 in.  One  mark,  I D,  in  circle.  (John 
Dixwell  ? ) 

Inscription  : 


V-CAi- 

to-  t&-^-  yt-e- to-  9(_ 

iVt 


Tankard,  H.  7 in.  One  mark,  I D,  as  before. 
Inscription : 


MASSACHUSETTS. 


181 


O'tt'Vbs  ^-eJyO-^y^ iu  isO-*  tVyZy 
ty(jZyW~  (ILu. AyCyV 


On  each  of  these  flagons  and  tankards  is  the  additional  inscription  : 

^VV~eyVL,  tyC-  '^C'tyWy-Cjyiiy  (ttyOyjZyZyL  C-^(y 

V Oy  jySyUJy  JJlsyVMy't^ey'lyfZy  O tfcey  ^O^T^yt^Xy^yCctyV-^y 
Scty^teyly  I8J2. 


Cup,  two-handled,  H.  6 in.  One  mark,  I D,  in  circle. 
(John  Dixwell.) 

Inscription : 


& cLo-WyC-* 
't'G-  i^yCy 


^UyYllyOyWy 

rr 

(J^to^y  J o !*]  / if 


ZSUJy 


Cup,  two-handled,  H.  6 in.  One  mark,  I D,  as  above. 
Inscription : 


ty(zyUJy  tiyUy\yCyt<y  ^Uy^y 

‘VI 


Cup,  two-handled,  H.  6 in.  One  mark,  I D,  as  above. 
Inscription : 


VlyUy  L-eJy  '&G-' 

9{o-^ytV  ^LyUAycUly 

VliyZy  tbLcLey^y  ^G-/<yWy  V)  y'iOlOySytt 

IV7 


Underneath : 


182 


OLD  PLATE. 


Sx-  cLo-^yvo- 


J.  B. 


(John  Dixwell.  See  chapter  on  American  silversmiths.) 

Cup,  two-handled,  H 6 in. 

Inscription  : 


ft-  c^-  U-  Jg-Jzs'BusGG 

3 cs - 3J3s^  P^e^t o-  S-yu  t 

77^7 


O-^L- 


“A  merchant  named  Cheever,  who  was  a ruling  elder  at  one  of  the 
churches  at  the  North  End,  who  had  been  suspected  of  having  concern  in 
the  smuggling  trade.”  (Shaw.) 


Cup. 

Inscription : 


Be^a^c^o-yu 

X 33cotyc3c- 

wt 


Cup. 

Inscription : 


31-'V~esyu  IL-Us  B 


t 

a-  ^ K { 


Jo^Byis 

3>Bou'L'\ 

IV  f 


Cup,  H.  6 in.  One  mark,  I D,  as  before. 
Inscription : 


MASS  A C HU SETTS. 


183 


cto-VOO-  ^,0-i-OM-^s 
to-  tLe, 

tyt 


Cup,  H.  6 in.  One  mark,  I C,  crowned,  animal  below, 
shaped  shield. 

Inscription : 


tb%s  cto-'yoo-  Stocoii-  o^'^'fe-nt'Cuyu  to-  *- 


The  eight  cups  have  each  the  additional  inscription  : 


'&locoji-e-L  Sco-iute^Ly  / 8JB 


Baptismal  bason,  Dia.  13  in.  One  mark,  I D,  as  before. 
Inscription : 


^4-^t  o^-  %[v  13)coV-VcL  i?GAK.O/»t' 
to-  tLc-  ty(jo-'utto 

3 VO  l&O-iisto-VL,  § 

ijbb 


This  bason  has  the  additional  inscription,  as  on  the  flagons  and  tankards. 


Spoon,  ladle-shaped.  One  mark,  evans. 
Engraved  «P(.  -4>.,  in  monogram,  and 


^ I8JB 


In  the  “Annals  of  Kings  Chapel”  (Rev.  H.  W.  Foote)  are  to  be  found 
many  interesting  items  in  the  early  records  of  the  church  : 

“ Reed  of  Mr.  Robert  Ratcliffe,  twenty-two  shillings  in  money,  which 


184 


OLD  PLATE. 


was  Given  him  By  Capt  John  Goory  towards  buying  of  communion  plate, 
and  one  shilling  of  Mrs.  Wallett  for  the  same  use  — in  all  23 s. 

“Thaddeus  Mackarty. 

“ June  5th,  1689.” 


In  June,  1695  : -£  s.  d. 

“ pd  Cross  for  makeing  2 ps  plate  - . 3.00.00.” 

f ‘ Boston,  1 697. — Then  Received  of  Mr.  Myles  too  great  silver  Flagons, 
and  one  silver  basen,  and  one  sallver,  and  one  boul,  and  one  Civer,  all  of 
Sillver,  which  was  given  to  the  Church  by  the  King  and  Queen,  and  brought 
over  by  Capt  John  Foye. 

“ Received  by  me,  Giles  Dyer,  Church  Warden.” 


“1698,  Boston,  April]. — Received  of  Giles  Dyer  and  Mr.  Savill  Simp- 
son, Late  Church  Wardens,  too  great  Silver  Flagons,  and  one  bason,  and  too 
Sallvers,  and  too  boules,  and  too  Civers,  all  of  silver;  . . . which  was 
given  by  ye  King  and  Queen. 

“ Reseved  by  me,  John  Indecott.” 

“This  silver  plate  was  used  in  the  church  for  about  seventy  years,  when 
Governor  Bernard  [Hutchinson?]*  bringing  over  a new  communion  service, 
the  gift  of  King  George  III.  to  the  church,  took  away  the  older  plate  and 
gave  it  to  other  churches.”  Christ  Church,  Cambridge,  and  St.  Paul’s 
Church,  Newburyport.  1728,  May  7. 

Octobr  14 th  1730.  Voted,  That  the  Church  Wardens  wait  on  his  Excel- 
lency the  Govr  and  return  him  Thanks  in  behalf  of  the  Church  for  Sollick- 
ing his  Majesty  for  his  Royal  Bounty  to  Kings-Chapel ; and  pay  the  contin- 
gent Charges,  as  by  the  acctt  deliver’d  to  the  Satisfaction  of  his  Excellency. 


lyzg.  [Part  of  Mr  Thos.  Sandford’s  accot] 

Aprl  24.  To  Cash  paid  ye  Revd  Roger  Price,  passage  Over  - 
Nov.  19.  To  P.  L,  for  a peice  of  Plate  as  pr  Letter  9 July 
last  ------- 

Janry  13.  To  charges  of  Packett,  etca  about  ye  Presentation 


173°- 


Dr  to  y.  Belcher  as  foil0 


Mark  28.  To  Coach  to  and  from  the  King’s  Wardrope 
Apl  4.  To  Ditto  ye  Jewel  Office  - 

8.  To  Ditto  ye  Treasurey  - - - - 

13.  To  Ditto,  Ditto  ----- 
15.  To  D°  for  ye  Warrt  for  Chapel  Necessaries 


£ 

s. 

d. 

20 . 

. 00  . 

00 

10 , 

. iO  . 

00 

4 ■ 

09 . 

02 

0 . 

01  . 

06 

0 . 

02 

, OO 

0 . 

Ol 

. 06 

0 . 

. Ol 

. 06 

0 . 

°3 

. OO 

* See  Notes  on  Plate,  Christ  Church,  Cambridge. 


MASSACHUSETTS. 


Ap1  1 6.  To  Mr  Lowe  Clerk  of  ye  Treasry  for  Pulpit  Cloth 

17.  To  Coach  for  Warrt  for  ye  Plate  - 

20.  To  Ditto  for  Do  - 
23.  To  Do  to  ye  Treasury  etc*  - 

To  Mr  Lowe,  fees  for  Takeing  up  ye  Warrt  for  ye 
Plate  ------- 

25.  To  King’s  Wardrope,  Viz*:  - - - - 

To  ye  Deputy  ------ 

To  ye  Clerk  ------- 

To  Messengr  and  Porter  - - - - 

28.  To  Coach  for  ye  Plate  - - - - - 

29.  To  D°  from  ye  Jewel  house  wth  Do 

30.  To  a Deal  Chest  to  pack  up  ye  Plate  etca 
To  packing  of  Ditto 

To  a Rope  for  ye  Chest  - - - - - 

To  porteridge  of  Ditto  - 

To  Lord  Chamberlain  for  2 Warrants 
To  Mr  Brudnell,  Master  of  ye  Jewel  office 
To  Carriage  of  ye  Plate  etc*  to  Portsmouth 


185 


£ 

s. 

d. 

2 . 

02 

. 00 

0 . 

Ol 

. 06 

0 . 

. Ol 

. 06 

0 . 

Ol 

. 06 

2 . 

. 02 

. 00 

1 . 

. 01 

. 00 

0 . 

, IO 

. 06 

0 , 

• °5 

. 00 

0 . 

• °3 

. 00 

0 . 

• °3 

. 00 

0 , 

. 16 

. 00 

0 , 

• °4 

. 00 

0 , 

, 02 

. 00 

0 , 

. 02 

. 06 

2 

• *7 

. 06 

4 

. 09 

. 00 

0 

• *5 

. 06 

^16  . 07  . 00 

173  !- 

July  8.  To  his  Excellency  Jonathan  Belcher  Esqr  for  his 

charges  in  Procuring  and  bringing  plate,  & c 57  . 04  . 06 


October  i2>th  1730,  Voted  that  the  Revd  Mr  Roger  Price,  Minister, 

Wm  Speakman,  ) , 

r ’ > Church  wardens. 

Job  Lewis,  ) 

Robt  Auchmuty  Esqr  Dr  John  Gibbins 

Mr  George  Cradock  Mr  John  Checkley 

be  a Committee  to  write  a letter  to  CoU  Shute  for  the  Plate  that  is  now  in 
his  hands  that  was  given  to  Kings  Chapel  by  his  late  Majesty  King  George 
the  first. 

On  the  19 th  day  of  Aprill , 1733,  an  inventory  of  the  Silver  Plate 
belonging  to  the  church  called  Kings  Chappel  in  Boston  in  New 
England  was  taken  by  George  Steuart  and  Mr  George  Stone,  Church 
Wardens,  and  Mr  George  Craddock  one  of  the  Vestrymen  of  the  said 
church. 

Impr  Four  Large  Flaggons. 

It  three  Chalices  and  their  covers. 

It  one  Bason. 

It  one  Receiver. 

It  Two  Servers. 


186 


OLD  PLATE. 


CHEIST  CHURCH. 


Built  in  1723,  this  is  the  oldest  church  edifice  now  stand- 
ing in  Boston.  It  was  an  offshoot  from  Kings  Chapel  and 
the  second  place  of  worship  for  members  of  the  Church  of 
England  in  the  town. 


May  15)  ]727>  “Voted  that  all  the  gold  and  silver  which  shall  be  put 
in  the  Contribution  boxes  be  for  the  Future  laid  by  to  make  plate  for  the 
Church’s  use.”  (Church  Records  in  “ Rambles  in  Old  Boston.”) 


Out  of  this  silver  were  possibly  made 

Two  Flagons,  H.  13  in.  Two  marks,  r greene  and  R G. 

Inscription : 


a 


JC 


esi u~ 


{bvL'GsLc^Vt^cL 


r 

JL.  B.  ipy 


Chalice,  H.  8|  in.  Cover  Paten,  Dia.  5 in.  One  mark, 
I E,  crowned  fleur-de-lis  below,  shaped  shield. 

Inscription  on  Chalice  only : 


Paten  with  foot,  Dia.  8 in.  Four  marks : — 1,  Lion’s  head 
erased ; 2,  Britannia ; 3,  Court-hand  V,  London,  1715 ; 4, 
maker’s  mark,  l&e,  crowned;  fleur-de-lis  below,  shaped  shield. 
(John  Read.  Ent.  1704,  0.  E.  P.)  Engraved  with  coat  of 
arms.  A sun  in  chief  and  a chalice  in  base.  Crest,  a ship 
with  masts  and  shrouds. 

Inscription  surrounding  arms : 


MASS  A CHUSETTS. 


187 


^ e-o^-o-e^LeC  ‘t) CL-iuiuC^tt 

’to-  (JLig’g-Cs'Ls 

Svu  l^aAdbo-o^  l*] 30 


The  same  arms  are  to  be  found  on  the  Vassall  Tankards  at  Harvard. 


Baptismal  bason,  Dia.  13  in.  One  mark,  i hurd,  engraved 
with  coat  of  arms. 

Inscription : 


O'ioe^  o-^ 

to-  (^g-UAL  (& 

I J 33 


tsyu 


In  the  “Annals  of  Kings  Chapel”  is  a copy  of  a Resolution  by  the  Vestry 
Nov.  1 8,  1730.  “In  consideration  of  late  Donation  of  his  present  Majesty 
our  most  Gracious  Sovereign  King  George  the  Second  to  his  Majtys  Chap- 
pel  in  this  Town,  at  the  Desire  of  his  Excellency  Jona  Belcher  Esqr  our 
Govern1,  and  under  the  Promising  Views  of  obtaining  the  like  Benevolence 
from  our  Said  Sovereign  by  the  good  Interest  and  Encouragement  of  our 
Govern1  aforesd 


“ Voted  That  the  Minister,  Church  Wardens  and  Vestry  do  Concur  with 
his  Excelly  Jona  Belcher  Esqr  in  a due  Application  for  getting  plate  and 
other  Vtensills  for  ye  Altar  of  Christ  Church,  and  for  a Bible,  prayer-book 
etc.,  for  the  Use  of  the  Said  Church  like  as  his  Majesty’s  Chapel  in  this 
Town  as  lately  been  given  by  the  Interest  of  the  said  Governr 


“Voted,  That  the  Church  Wardens  for  the  time  being  shall  pay  out  of 
the  Church  Stock  all  the  Expences  of  getting  the  Sd  Utencills  out  of  the 
proper  offices  in  Great  Britain,  amounting  to  about  Seventeen  Pounds  sterling.” 


The  utensils  are  two  Flagons,  H.  13  in.  Chalice,  H.  10| 
in.  Paten,  with  foot,  Dia.  6 in.  Alms  bason,  Dia.  13  in. 


188 


OLD  PLATE. 


Four  marks : — 1,  Lion  passant;  2,  Leopard’s  head,  crowned; 
3,  Roman  capital  S,  London,  1733 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  I A 
above  M F,  linked  letters.  (Jos.  Allen  and  Mordecai  Fox, 
St.  Swithins-lane.)  All  engraved  with  the  Royal  arms 

between  the  initials  G R and  this  inscription : 


‘JCasmsO/  II 

Jo-  i cut-  l^o-tutc-^u  ty[esuj~-  &iu^JscuvudL 
>J^t  tiue^  3[e*-{yoce-tut  o-^.  c^- 
'^o-'iwu'u'Hstu'u  1^-c^Lculuc^u  /jJ33 


The  articles  were  obtained  and  shipped  by  Henry  Newman,  July  13, 
1733,  “ on  the  New  Cambridge  Galley,  Capt  John  Crocker,  commander,  in 
one  chest  mark1  and  number*1  as  in  the  margent  and  consigned  to  Mr  An- 
drew Belcher,  Mercht  at  Boston.”  The  charges  were  £26  1 6s.  10L 
(“  Rambles  in  Old  Boston.”) 

So  poor  did  the  church  become,  that  in  1789  its  communion  plate,  weigh- 
ing three  hundred  and  forty-three  ounces,  was  mortgaged  for  the  sum  of 
£\6  tor. 


TRINITY  CHURCH. 

The  corner-stone  was  laid  April  ye  15th,  1734. 

“ Whereas  his  Excellency  Govn  Sherly  has  been  pleased  to  write  for  a 
sett  of  Plate  and  furniture  for  a Church  (His  Majestys  usual  Bounty  to  his 
Governours  at  their  receiving  their  Commission),  Which  Grant  he  has  been 
pleased  to  say  he  designes  for  the  use  of  Trinity  Church;  and  as  there  will 
be  a Duty  on  the  Plate  and  some  Charges  at  the  several  offices  where  this 
afaire  must  pass  thro,  We,  the  Subscribers,  for  that  End  cheerfuly  pay  to  the 
Wardens  of  s*1  Trinity  Church  the  following  Sums.  Boston  Oct  8 1741.” 

The  church  also  covenanted : 

‘‘To  return  ye  s*1  Plate  to  William  Lord  Abergavenny  when  ye  same 
shall  be  required.”  (“Annals  of  Kings  Chapel.”) 


MASS  A CHTJSETTS. 


189 


Two  Flagons,  H.  14  in.  Chalice,  H.  9 in.  Paten,  Dia. 
6 in.  Alms  bason,  Dia.  13  in.  Four  marks : — 1,  Lion 
passant;  2,  Leopard’s  head,  crowned;  3,  small  Roman  f, 

London,  1741 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  J Jl  above  % J'. 


(Jos.  Allen  and  Mordecai  Fox,  as  at  Christ  Church.)  All 

engraved  with  the  Royal  arms  between  the  initials  G R 
and  this  inscription : 


7C. 

■C£0^v_y  / *]  if  J 


■tt 


CAMBRIDGE. 

CHRIST  CHURCH. 

The  original  subscription  for  building  the  church  is  dated 
at  Boston,  April  25th,  1759 ; the  opening  took  place  1761. 

* A service  of  plate  for  the  altar  was  loaned  by  his  Excellency  Governor 
Bernard  which  the  vestry  in  1770  refused  to  purchase  of  him,  and  it  was 
probably  returned.  The  Royal  Governors  received  from  the  Crown  on 
their  appointment  Communion  Plate  and  ornaments  of  a church,  to  be  ap- 
propriated at  their  discretion.  In  1772  his  Excellency  Governor  Thomas 
Hutchinson  gave  a silver  flagon  and  covered  cup  now  in  use.” 

Flagon,  H.  124  in.  (See  Illus.  No.  13,  p.  76.)  Chalice,  H. 
84  in.  Cover  Paten,  Dia.  51  in.  Four  marks: — 1,  Lionpas- 

* Sermon,  with  Historical  Notice,  1857,  Rev.  N.  Hoppin,  Rector. 


190 


OLD  PLATE. 


NO.  76.  — COMMUNION  PLATE  (1694)  CHRIST  CHURCH,  CAMBRIDGE,  MASS. 


sant ; 2,  Leopard’s  head,  crowned ; 3,  Small  black-letter  r, 
London,  1694 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  F G,  pellet  below,  shaped 
shield.  (Francis  Garthorne.)  All  engraved  with  the  Royal 
arms  between  the  initials  VY\.  R,  and,  with  the  exception 
of  Paten,  the  inscription : 


i L'tt-uasnv  cgvl-cL  %{cl4 Vy, 

ILg-  u^e-  $ 


tsLsSs  g-^  tstoeAA^  JJL^  ({La-j^p^est 

j^.  Srv^stcL-'yL'cL  ItpCjLj- 


This  was  the  Kings  Chapel  in  Boston.  Governor  Hutchinson  had  received 
from  King  George  III.,  in  1772,  a service  of  plate  and  pulpit  furniture, 
which  he  presented  to  the  Chapel,  taking  in  exchange  the  old  communion 
service,  part  of  which  he  gave,  through  the  Rev.  Dr  Caner,  to  the  Cam- 


MASSACHUSETTS. 


191 


bridge  Church,  and 
the  same  to  the 
church  at  New- 
buryport.  In  1787 
this  plate,  then  in 
the  hands  of  the 
Rev.  Dr  Parker  of  Boston  for  safe-keep- 
ing, was  claimed  by  Dr  Thomas  Bullfinch, 
Warden,  as  the  property  of  the  Kings 
Chapel.  The  Rev.  Dr  Caner  had  car- 
ried away  at  the  evacuation  of  Boston  in 
1776  all  the  plate  and  other  valuables 
belonging  to  the  Chapel,  and  they  were 
afterwards  disposed  of  in  the  Provinces 
by  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel.  Mrs.  Grizzel  Apthorp,  the 
mother  of  Dr  Apthorp,  gave  a hand- 
some christening  bason  of  silver,  the 
inscription  upon  which  bears  marks 
of  the  son’s  classic  pen. 

NO.  77. — INSCRIPTION  ON  FOOT  OF  FLAGON 


(1694). 


Bason,  Dia.  13  in.  Four  marks : — 1,  Lion  passant ; 2, 
Leopard’s  head,  crowned;  3,  Old  English  capital  if,  London, 

1761;  4,  maker’s  mark,  /0  J>  above  ^ S,  shaped  escutch- 
eon. (Daniel  Smith  and  Robert  Sharp.) 

Inscription  around  rim : 


Ecclesiah  Cheisti  Cantabeigme 
In  Nova  Anglia  Anathema  Conseoeavit 
Dna  Apthoep  Mdcclxi. 


Paten,  Dia.  71  in.  No  marks.  Engraved  with  coat  of 
arms  in  the  center.  (Fanenil.) 


The  Records  state  that  in  1791  Mrs.  Mary 
Bethune  (Mary  Faneuil,  wife  of  Geo.  Bethune, 
m.  1754)  gave  a silver  server  for  the  Commun- 
ion offerings.  Mrs.  Mary  Faneuil,  probably 
the  mother  of  Mrs.  Bethune,  gave  a large 
folio  Bible  “to  the  Episcopal  Church  at  Cam- 
bridge, in  New  England,  1760.” 


NO.  78. — FANEUIL  ARMS. 


192 


OLD  PLATE. 


DORCHESTER. 

FIKST  CHURCH. 

Beaker,  H.  4£  in.  One  mark,  D : I,  in  a circle,  pellet  above 
and  below ; engraved  band  of  foliage,  etc.,  round  tbe  top. 
Inscription : 


O^-  I^G-Asto-^L' 

to - tfcz, 

/67$- 


W 

On  tbe  underside  are  tbe  initials  P * T 


Mrs.  Thacher  was  the  only  child  of  Henry  Webb,  and  judging  from  the 
initials  the  beaker  probably  had  belonged  to  some  member  of  her  father’s 
family.  She  married  in  1642  Jacob  Sheafe,  and  subsequently  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Thacher,  first  minister  of  the  Old  South  Church,  Boston. 


Two  Beakers,  H.  4£  in.  Two  marks,  I H,  mullet  below, 
heart-sbaped  shield,  R S,  rose  above,  shaped  escutcheon. 
(John  Hull  and  Robert  Sanderson.)  With  the  exception  of 
a plain  band  above  and  below,  the  Beakers  are  covered  with 
granulated  ornament  so  prevalent  in  the  middle  of  the  xvii. 
century. 

Inscription : Above 


L 

*T  # A* 


MAS 8 A CEU SETTS. 


193 


Below 


cv^C-e- 


CFllsZs  ■^Lpt’  G-^- 
O'Il'O-wuciAs  gsvgcL  ^ 

’Lg-'  tstvGs 

(fcsGLA^G^lls  t'VL,  jB>e-'L-t>i^£^£e^L 

1*71- 


* Thomas  Lake  [d.  1678]  in  his  will  directs  “that  after  my  decease  there 
be  left  of  my  Estate  to  ye  value  of  Fifty  pounds  that  then  there  be  five 
pounds  laid  out  in  plate  and  given  to  the  Lord’s  table,  for  the  use  and  serv- 
ice thereof  with  mine  and  my  wife’s  name  engraved  thereon  and  I Leaue  it 
to  Mr  Flint  with  my  overseers  and  Executors  to  See  it  done  ” 

Tn  the  Church  Records  we  read  : “ 6 of  January  1679,  Henery  Leadbetter 
Executor  to  ye  Estate  of  Tho.  Lake  deliuered  two  Siluer  Cups  or  small 
beakers  wch  was  given  by  Tho.  Lake  vnto  ye  Church  ” 


Beaker,  H.  5i  in.  One  mark,  W R,  pellet  above  each  let- 
ter, mullet  between,  pellet  below,  shaped  shield. 

Inscription : 


3'li^es 

to - 

WK,  ^ G^'UG^tuG^Tt^  “G-. 

1685. 


On  opposite  side 


John  Gengen  or  Gingill  [Mr.  Trask  has  noticed  his  name  spelled  fourteen 
different  ways]  gave  five  pounds  to  the  Church  of  Dorchester. 


13 


194 


OLD  PLATE. 


Beaker,  H.  3J.  One  mark,  IE,  lobed  escutcheon. 
Inscription : 


/W- 


On  the  under  side  are  the  initials  I . : . I 

“Isaac  Jones  died  Feb  18,  1701.  In  his  will  of  Aug.  23,  1700,  he 
leaves  forty  shillings  ‘to  the  Deacons  of  the  Church  of  Dorchester,*  for  the 
use  of  the  Church  in  a piece  of  Silver  Plate  to  serve  at  the  Lord’s  supper 
forever.’  ” 


Two  Chalices,  H.  8 in.  One  mark,  I D,  fleur-de-lis  below, 
heart-shaped  shield.  (John  Dixwell.)  These  chalices  have 
baluster  stems,  and  chased  and  fluted  bowls  and  feet.  In- 
scription : 


to~  ttu, 

(^uS^c^Ils  l-vl- 

JJOI. 


Opposite  to  the  inscription  are  engraved  the  Stoughton 
arms,  but  without  the  crest.  (See  p.  109.) 


* This  and  succeeding  extracts  from  “ Early  Dorchester  Matters.” — W. 
B.  Trask. 


MASS  A CRU SETTS. 


195 


“ Lieutenant  Governor  William  Stoughton,  July  6,  1701,  bequeaths  ‘two 
pieces  of  Plate  for  ye  Communion  of  Six  pounds  value  each.’  Mr  Stoughton 
died  the  next  day  July  7th” 

“’April  6,  1709.  The  Church  hath  Nine  Pieces  of  Plate  for  ye  Sacramt 
(2  Given  by  sd  wr  Stoughton,  2 by  Mr  Thomas  Lake,  one  by  Mrs  Thacher, 
one  by  Mr  Isaac  Jones,  one  by  Mr  Patten,  one  by  Mr  John  Gingen,  one  by 
Anothr  hand,  all  of  tSilver.  In  pewter  the  Chh  hath  4 flaggons,  4 pewter 
Dishes,  one  Basin  & Tankard  & one  pewter  Cup.” 

“ Agreed  that  a Strong  Chest  be  bought  to  lock  up  ye  Churches  Plate  in.” 


“ Esther  Flint  was  the  widow  of  Rev.  Josiah  Flint, minister  in  Dorchester. 
Her  father,  Capt.  Thomas  Willett  of  Ply  mouth,  was  the  first  mayor  of  New 
York,  appointed  by  Gov.  Richard  Nicolls  June  12,  1665.” 

Tankard,  H.  7 in.  One  mark,  hurd.  . 

Inscription : 


Beaker,  H.  3f  in.  No  marks. 
Inscription : 


I JSC 


to-  tlu 


■o-  A 


IJH. 


196 


OLD  PLATE. 


It  is  engraved  with  a coat  of  arms — an  eye  above  a loz- 
enge. 

The  seals  on  two  wills,  both  of  Dorchester  people  (James  Blake  and 
Isaac  Jones),  and  dated  1700,  have  the  same  bearings,  but  with  a fess. 

“ Elijah  Danforth,  son  of  the  Rev.  John  Danforth,  gave  to  the  church,  by 
will,  his  ‘ large  Silver  Tankard  to  be  changed  in  the  form  of  it,  into  con- 
venient vessels  for  the  only  Use  & Service  of  the  Lord’s  Table  in  the  Con- 
gregational Church  in  said  Dorchester.’” 


“By  his  will  of  Nov.  18,  1735,  he  gave  £20  ‘in  current  passing  Money 
or  Bills  of  Credit’  to  the  Church  in  Dorchester,  ‘to  be  laid  out  in  a piece  of 
Plate  or  what  Else  shall  be’  by  the  Deacons  ‘Judged  most  Necessary  or 
convenient  for  the  use  of  ye  Lord’s  Table  in  the  said  Church.’  ” 

Tankard,  H.  7 in.  One  mark,  hurd. 

Inscription : 


Beaker,  H.  5£in.  One  mark,  hurd. 
Inscription : 


$J& oLLoOSWL'  'tolcup^- 


OF 


nn 


MASS  A CHTJ SETTS. 


197 


Engraved  with  a coat  of  arms.  A chevron  between  three 
bucks.  Crest,  a buck’s  head. 


The  arms  of  the  Rogers  family.  Hopestill  Clap  (as  also  Wm.  Clap)  was 
a grandson  of  Capt.  Roger.  “In  his  will  made  Nov.  28,  1748,  he  gave 
sixty  pounds  in  old  tenor  Bills  to  be  laid  out  in  Plate  for  the  Communion 
Table  of  the  Church  in  Dorchester  provided  he  had  not  given  the  plate  to 
the  church  in  his  life-time,  as  he  probably  did,  the  date  on  the  cup  being 
about  eleven  years  prior  to  his  decease.” 


Beaker,  H.  4f  in.  One  mark,  j • trott. 
Inscription  : 


e-  no&^es  'v  o-w 

tso - Lives 


Remember  Preston  gave  by  his  Will  proved  May  30,  1755,  “Unto  this 
church  in  Dorchester  30  pounds  old  Tenor  Bills  of  Credit  on  this  Province, 
to  be  used  as  ye  sd  Church  shall  see  fit.” 

Beaker,  H.  5£  in.  One  mark,  B P.  (Benj.  Pierpont  f) 
Inscription : 


ju  4 

J(y.  Lb L-es'tvesZses'v 
bo-  bive-  Lv’viub  '^)twv‘vc^tv 


DORCHESTER. 


198 


OLD  PLATE 


Ebenezer  Moseley  Weaver  (d.  1773),  “he  bequeaths  to  the  church  in 
Dorchester  £5.” 


Tankard,  H.  7£.  One  mark,  P R,  shaped  shield.  (Paul 
Revere  ?) 

Inscription : 


Its  Ms 

t^O-'  tit^s 

1805 


Tankard,  H.  8 in.  One  mark,  benjamin  burt. 
Inscription : 


JU 

^ OM/is  ‘/f’ V 
to*  ttisCs  jliJutDt 
tbii^uAs-olts  vw  jE)  O'L'Cs^isesbsteAs 


1808. 


“On  the  4th  of  January,  1882,  the  Dorchester  First  Church  voted  one 
cup  each  to  other  societies  in  the  town,  namely,  to  the  Third  Church,  Har- 
rison Square  Church  and  Neponset.  The  original  donors  of  these  cups  to 
the  First  Church  were  in  the  following  order : 

“Mrs.  Justin  Patten  by  will  proved  Feb.  3,  1675,  gives  ‘To  the  Church 
of  Dorchester,  five  pounds  to  be  Layd  out  in  a peece  of  plate  for  the  service 
of  the  Lord’s  table.’  (Third  Church) 

“ Ebenezer  Mawdsley  Sept.  27,  1740,  gives  c to  the  Church  in  Dorchester 
Twenty  pounds.’  (Harrison  Square) 

“ ‘May  22,  1721,  Elder  Preston  gave  account  of  a New  Piece  of  plate 
given  to  ye  Church  for  ye  Lord’s  Supper  by  Mr  Eben.  Withington  ’ (Ne- 
ponset).” 


MASS  A CEU SUITS. 


199 


The  custodian  of  the  silver.  Deacon  Humphreys,  of  Dorchester,  is  living 
on  the  same  plot  deeded  to  his  first  ancestor,  Jonas  Humfrey,  in  1637,  the 
property  having  been  owned  and  the  land  occupied  by  the  family  to  the 
present  time.  Mr.  Trask  states  that  the  deed  (still  preserved)  is  the  earliest 
unrecorded  conveyance  that  he  has  seen. 


NEWBURYPORT. 

S.  PAUL’S  CHUECH. 

S.  Paul’s  was  erected  1738.  Previous  to  this,  however, 
Queen  Anne’s  Chapel  was  built  (1711)  on  what  is  called  the 
Plains  in  Newbury.  After  the  church  was  built  occasional 
services  only  were  held  in  the  chapel,  and  it  was  finally 
abandoned,  1766. 

The  Flagon  is  the  same  in  design  and  size  and  has  the 
same  marks  as  the  one  at  Christ  Church,  Cambridge.  The 
chalice  and  paten  are  wanting. 

Chalice.  Hall  mark  cut  out  and  a piece  of  plain  silver 
soldered  in.  Inscription : 


cLo-'VlsG' 


Itf3 


From  the  c<Annals  of  Kings  Chapel  ” vve  learn  that,  “In  the  yeare  1693. 

Mr  John  Mills,  a Barbadoes  gentleman,  gave  a plate  & cup.” 
These  were  probably  sent  to  Newburyport  at  the  time  of  Gov.  Hutchinson’s 
gift,  or  might  have  been  the  chalice  and  paten  given.  The  “ plate  ” is 
missing. 


Baptismal  bason.  Dia.  15  in.  One  mark,  I C,  heart- 

TD 

shaped  shield.  Engraved  on  rim,  ^ g 

Standing  Dish  used  as  a paten.  Four  marks : — 1,  Lion 
passant ; 2,  Leopard’s  head  crowned ; 3,  black-letter  capital 
R,  London,  1674 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  TP,  pellet  between,  plain 
shield. 


200 


OLD  PLATE. 


Inscription : 

Boucttc.^,  <JL  Oyu'yu^.  &iu<jsls 
to-  it  0 CUCuL  iu  AiuCi/UCuL, 

CJ 'cOtoA^i,  I 8 00. 

This  dish  (see  illustration)  has  a richly  chased  border  with  flowers  and 
foliage  surrounding  a running  stag,  a unicorn,  and  a dog  at  bay. 
Unfortunately,  all  these  vessels  were  stolen  in  April  last. 

SALEM. 

S.  PETER’S  CHURCH. 


Two  Alms  basons  (modern),  inscribed  as  follows : 

putojtsA.  ly-e-Le-  2.  c^tupui. 

CLMscL  CU  iuVyUCuLL  putcuts. 


G^Ls\^G^LU~'/L'/l4ms'Os 


C A Acufu  “Jif  tLe,  W™'  JC^UAdd 

cl,  to-  it  A 'eOtes'L,  u,  (Acut^uA  upc,  AcuLe,w,  / *j 5j 

A PPLcde,  “ PJLuC.  Jst'pt'  o^j.  ^gAs/L,  O' O-VU-J^e.LL  to- 

PPsd-s.t,  A-  AAuA,cAl,  icuL^-nt,  !*]85 


A A 

U)  C^G-'dL'h-'IAs'LA^’  IP’S.v^z.'uLi^  to-  it  OeDt 

,u  VK,  A.  B.  ijyi” 


uyu  & cui 


NO.  79. — STANDING  DISH.  (1674.) 

S.  PAUL’S  CHURCH,  NEWBURYPORT,  MASS. 


NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


201 


PORTSMOUTH. 


S.  JOHN’S  CHUBCH. 


In  1640  there  was  a chapel  and  parsonage  at  Strawberry 
Bank,  now  Portsmouth.  “ The  Church  was  furnished  with 
one  great  Bible,  twelve  Service  Books,  one  pewter  flaggon, 
one  communion  cup  and  cover  of  silver.”  (Bishop  Perry’s 
Hist.) 

Two  Flagons,  H.  13  in.  Chalice,  H.  10  in.  Paten,  Dia. 
6 in.  Alms  bason,  Dia.  13  in.  Four  marks : — 1,  Lion  pas- 
sant ; 2,  Leopard’s  head  crowned ; 3,  small  roman  f,  London, 
1741 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  J.  Jl  above  J,  (Joseph  Allen 

and  Mordecai  Fox.)  All  engraved  with  the  Royal  arms 
between  the  initials  G.  R. 

Plate  by  the  same  makers  and  of  the  same  date  is  at  Trinity  Church, 
Boston.  The  five  pieces  are  numbered  on  the  under  side  1,  2,  3,  7 and  8 ; 
probably  a chalice  with  its  paten  cover  and  a larger  paten  are  wanting. 

Baptismal  bason,  a bowl,  Dia.  10£  in.  Four  marks : — 
1,  Lion  passant ; 2,  Leopard’s  head  crowned ; 3,  old  English 
capital  3D,  London,  1759 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  F W,  in  irregular 
oblong.  (Fuller  White.)  On  the  rim  is  a crest ; a demi-lion 
rampant  erased,  gorged  with  a ducal  coronet. 

Inscription : 


Jl.  B.  / 8 


The  date  1742!  is  scratched  on  the  under  side. 


202 


OLD  PLATE. 


RHODE  ISLAND  — NEWPORT. 


TRINITY  CHURCH. 


* This  was  the  first  regularly  organized  parish  in  Rhode 
Island.  Sir  Francis  Nicholson,  then  Governor  of  Maryland, 
was  its  original  founder  and  principal  patron,  and  it  was 
doubtless  through  his  instrumentality  that  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Lockyer  commenced  preaching  in  1698.  The  church  was 
built  in  1702. 

Chalice  and  Paten,  gilt.  Four  marks : — 1,  Lion’s  head 
erased;  2,  Britannia;  3,  Court-hand  G,  London,  1702; 
maker’s  mark,  B O,  mitre  above,  fleur-de-lis  below,  shaped 
escutcheon.  (John  Bodington,  at  the  sign  of  the  “ Mitre.”) 
Inscription  : 


The  first  part  of  inscription  only  is  on  the  Paten.  There  are  two  flagons. 


Chalice,  H.  8 in.  Paten,  Dia.  5 in.  Four  marks: — 1, 
Lion’s  head  erased;  2,  Britannia;  3,  Court-hand  L,  London, 


dated  1733  and  1734.  The  vessels  are  similar  in  shape  and  size  to  those  in 
use  at  Trinity  Church,  New  York. 


WICKFORD. 


s.  Paul’s  church  (Built  1707). 


1706;  4,  maker’s  mark,  <®t  ♦ in  dotted  punch.  (Wm.  Gibson.) 
* Updike’s  History  of  the  Narragansett  Church. 


RHODE  ISLAND. 


203 


Inscription : 


A chalice  and  paten  at  S.  Mary’s,  Burlington,  and  at  S.  Peter’s,  Perth 
Amboy  (Anna  Regina)  are  by  the  same  maker,  but  with  the  date-letter  for 
1705. 

Flagon,  H.  13  in.  One  mark,  j clarke. 

Inscription : 


Kay  was  the  King’s  Collector  of  Customs. 

BRISTOL. 

S.  MICHAEL’S  CHURCH. 

Bristol  was  formerly  a part  of  the  Colony  of  Massachu- 
setts. The  church  was  organized  1719. 

Flagon,  H.  13  in.  One  mark,  B B. 


204 


OLD  PLAID. 


Inscription  : 

CX.w 

j.'uo-wt'  a~vt*>eJs  l)Ga*y,  p^Us&~Luc^a^L- 

JLo^ts  tLe,  ccA-e-  o-^-  tyfc,<^  4/e'i^e-t/-  j^caoL-o^ 
nyc^vUt'  isKs  (tLu*\. o-L  ^Ovy^LayK^cL 

UU^tal  Ij3t{- 
^uy>o  ^•e-'t ^e^’t-oucu 
•^t 'S^cLeyt^t'C^u^iy  $o~Ca^. 


Flagon,  H.  13  in.  Chalice,  H.  10£  in.  One  mark,  I R. 
Inscription  on  each : 


A c 


st^a^cyLjs 


-nyeyvi. 


tfc  ayrt,ve^{ t jC-ay^  0A-^-'  fj'0-',y 
. u^A-e-  o-'t-  titles  JLCesiyiyesct  jla.c.t/iA-- 
£■  t/M*  (JLi o ^OVU^Lg^'PL'cL 

li^Uto-L  /jsif. 


In  addition  to  this,  on  the  Flagon  only, 

^ uy)0  ^<^\^L'<zJ3vl-Os 


Paten,  Dia.  9 in.  One  mark,  E W,  quatre-foil  below, 
lobed  shield. 


RHODE  ISLAND. 


205 


Inscription  around  under  side : 


Alms  bason,  Dia.  12  in.  One  mark,  T # Edwards. 
Inscription  around  rim: 


A coat  of  arms  is  engraved  in  the  center ; three  wheat- 
sheaves  on  an  open  field.  Crest,  a lion  rampant  holding 
extended  a similar  sheaf.  Motto : Pectore  Puro. 


s.  John’s  (Formerly  called  King’s  Church). 

King’s  Church  was  built  1722,  but  received  the  name  of 
S.  John’s  by  act  of  incorporation,  1794.  The  corner-stone 
of  the  present  edifice  was  laid  June  5,  1810,  the  copper 
plate  set  within  the  stone  being  engraved  by  Nehemiah 
Dodge. 


The  gift  o_. 


-/ 


Bristol  1747 


PROVIDENCE. 


206 


OLD  PLATE. 


Flagon,  H.  13  in.  One  mark,  j.  clarke.  Beaker,  H. 
5 in. 

Inscription  on  both : 


^o-nv  CU  ^U,<L'Ll^'C^VU 

o-L  t/L,es  ou^e^  ■O'j-  jlcut-tcv- 

uyv  t<tue^  ^Dlisuyucslis  o §>yu^yto^ucL 

WL, 

^UsXs  p^e^'L^e^tcocu 

‘ 13 f 


Paten,  Dia.  8f  in. 
Inscription  : 


o~fr'  ^ . «_A  $ 

/o-L  tsluzs  out±-Zs  tytve^  (J^t'to.^’^ 
VVL  t-ltses  (tt  u^^olo  o-^  {br^tyLci^y^cL 

cbt-  P^.  <§. 


/yi/8. 


CONNECTICUT— MIDDLETOWN. 

S.  LUKE’S  CHAPEL. 

Chalice,  H.  51  in.  Paten,  Dia.  6 in.  One  mark,  j. 

GARDNER. 


CONNECTICUT. 


207 


Inscription  on  Chalice : 

■^iyU-'G^VL'  5E)  O-'oi'O-t'  GsLtL'CLsLt-  t'G-UJ~C^'^cL  YyGG^'fcsISVLsCj/ 

tUi^  (fcsoJsLcsGs,  if  G-Z*-  7 cbio-tiis  !*]*]  3 

These  vessels  were  formerly  at  S.  James’  Church,  New  London. 


NORTH  CAROLINA  — EDENTON. 

S.  PAUL’S  CHURCH. 

Chalice,  H.  8 in.  Paten,  Dia.  9-1  in.  One  mark,  A R. 
Inscription : 

G-'j-  '&>G-Lo-4^eJJs  ScLuS-'t^t^cL  JJjG-^G^Li^, 
u,iues  G-j^  yszs  ($sglA*csI<s  uk,  §><LeyyULG-^ 
tke,  y s^Gut,  1 13,5 

Chalice,  H.  9j~  in.  Marks  illegible. 

Inscription : 

a a 

CX.Y^t^Li-c^CL,/yt^a^ 

It  appears  in  the  old  Vestry  Record  Book  that  Parson  Garzia  was  paid 
£5  for  divine  service  in  the  year  1736.  He  was  rector  of  Christ  Church, 
Norfolk,  1724-34. 

Alms  bason,  Dia.  10£  in,  Marks,  h.  wisiiart,  and  a spread 
eagle  in  a circle. 

Inscription : 

w-aJL-Ls  LIggs  ^^^ItAsG-Atsiu  g^ia^cL 
VYV  §>cLG^G-i3G-yG-  ■ 1813. 


208 


OLD  PLATE. 


Tankard,  H.  6£  in.  Four  marks : — 1,  Lion  passant ; 2, 
Leopard’s  head  crowned ; 3,  Roman  capital  Q,  London, 
1731 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  C W. 

Inscription : 


S ' 't-Osi-esV-toscL  to-  St  S cvusl  i,  (/vuAsCvls  ScLos^vtc 
JSj LA.  J^cl,  1833. 


On  the  front  of  Tankard  is  engraved  the  monogram  J.  C.  Gk 


SOUTH  CAROLINA— CHARLESTON. 

S.  MICHAEL’S  CHURCH. 


Flagon,  H.  13  in.  Fonr  marks:  — 1,  Lion  passant;  2, 
Leopard’s  head  crowned ; 3,  old  English  capital  115,  London, 

1757  ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  X.  (Mordecai  Fox.)  Engraved 
with  the  Royal  arms  between  the  initials  G.  R. 
Inscription : 


f 


SxsCsOs  u:  Xv's.  a 


Si -Gs  ^ o-v-Gsi-= 


^OisCj^ 

-yvo-'t-  o tit-vis  S 't-o-v-vvvcsOs 

SJo-  tlisGs  SlvUsAsCslv  C vj,  %[j-CsivCt-Ost . 

StvovSvlesis  So-zv-yv  S°^  S>cvA-g-IsVwgv 


A ' cv&sOsW  cvwcL  c-c^vV-ve-cL  a-w-Gsy-  ^-'v^nv  So-LwyMsl-vas , 
S b-^s  tlvOs  Xl(j  S-  XisO-O-ps  is  vvs  S evt-'vUsCLAsU^ 

X.  B.  1835 


SOUTH  CAROLINA. 


209 


3^e'C*-o-v~Ss'L^cl-  clsVL'cL 

3t 3 


r 


(3.6ey>c<^ucLe-- 1-  cff' c^'^Lo&.tLcL  l^A^cucLto-A^cL 

V V 

o--/ 

j^e^i v-  o-tX 

{bc^UCe-1^  XU-ui^o-  3) o-r^t^uv  / 8 $7 


Paten,  Dia.  7 in.  Four  marks : — 1,  Lion  passant ; 2, 
Leopard’s  head  crowned ; 3,  old  English  capital  (0;,  London, 

1760 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  J[  3.  (Mordecai  Fox.) 
Inscription : 


3Ls,  yLft  o-f  Xlc  3Lc-^  H 

3o-  4i^s-  c--/  $)t. 

(Xo-'t-Lc-^-  3c-U>~K-  3o-  3)0-‘l.C-Li-W-0-  / *]  $2. 


The  whole  of  the  church  plate  was  taken  and  carried  away  from  Co- 
lumbia, S.  C.,  at  the  burning  and  sacking  of  that  city  by  the  U.  S.  forces  un- 
der the  command  of  Gen.Wm.  T.  Sherman  on  the  night  of  the  17th  Feb., 
1865.  Thus  far  only  two  pieces  have  been  recovered.  The  Flagon  was 
found  in  a jeweler’s  shop  in  New  York,  purchased,  and  returned  through 
the  generosity  of  Mr.  A.  W.  Bradford.  The  Paten  was  purchased  from  a 
soldier  in  Cincinnati,  O.,  by  a jeweler,  and  repurchased  by  the  Vestry. 


Alms  bason,  Dia.  8 in. ; maker’s  mark,  3 3.  (Thos. 
Farren  ? ) Rest  illegible. 

Inscription  : 


$3  3)  o-'t-Xt'S-UCe-'L.  3o-  3)0-.  1755. 

3 't-e-^eyx-t'S-.cL  Co-  $3  A (3 

^[yoXa-'VcL 

4blt^,Xe'X.O-/K.  $.  3 1 87 1 


14 


210 


OLD  PLATE. 


Alms  bason,  Dia.  10  in.  One  mark,  A P,  engraved  in 
the  center  with  the  sacred  monogram  within  rays. 
Inscription  : 


The  Parish  of  S.  George,  Dorchester,  was  one  of  the  first  organized  in 
the  Province  of  South  Carolina  (1704),  and  is  now  extinct.  Both  basons 
were  given  to  supply  the  place  of  those  taken  at  the  sacking  of  Columbia. 


This  was  the  landing-place  of  our  first  forefathers ; the 
seat  of  the  first  civil  and  religious  establishment  on  the 
shores  of  North  America  ; and  here  was  celebrated  the  first 
English  Communion  in  the  New  World.  (1607.)  In  the 
library  of  All  Souls’  College,  Oxford,  is  the  original  charter 
drawn  up  in  the  reign  of  Charles  II.  for  the  creation  of  a 
Bishopric  in  Virginia,  Jamestown  to  be  the  cathedral  city. 


Chalice,  H.  lOf  in.  Paten,  Dia.  7 in.  One  mark,  I W, 
oval  object  below,  plain  shield. 

Inscription  on  each : 


JJj.'cLcLL'Zs  ZsC-M* 


VIRGINIA  — JAMES  CITY. 


JAMESTOWN  OLD  CHURCH. 


VIRGINIA. 


211 


This  maker’s  mark  is  on  the  celebrated  cup  formerlv  belonging  to  the 
Blacksmiths’  Company,  London  (1655),  and  purchased  at  the  Dexter  sale  for 
no  less  a sum  than  ^£378,  and  it  is  also  found  in  a shaped  shield  on  the  cop- 
per plate  preserved  at  Goldsmiths  Hall  (1675-169 7). 


Alms  bason,  Dia.  9f  in.  Four  marks : — 1,  Lion  passant ; 
2,  Leopard’s  head  crowned;  3,  small  Roman  a,  London, 

1739  ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  J Jr  (Thos.  Farren.) 

Inscription : 


O-'i 


i / 


■c^rvLs  e^A- 


The  old  church  is  now  in  ruins;  the  vessels  are  in  use  at  Bruton  Parish. 


CHRIST  CHURCH,  BRUTON  PARISH. 

Two-handled  Cup  and  Coyer,  gilt,  H.  3f  in. ; Dia.  41  in. 
Four  marks : — 1,  Lion  passant ; 2,  Leopard’s  head  crowned; 
3;  black-letter  small  i,  London,  1686 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  P-H, 
crown  and  two  ermine  spots  above,  crescent  below,  shaped 
escutcheon.  (Peeter  Harache.) 


An  illustration  and  description  of  this  cup  are  given  in  a previous  chapter 
(pp.  122-3);  the  maker’s  mark  is  also  to  be  found  on  the  copper  plate  pre- 
served at  Goldsmiths  Hall. 


Paten,  Dia.  51  in.  Four  marks : — 1,  Lion  passant ; 2. 
Leopard’s  head  crowned ; 3,  small  Roman  b,  London,  1737 ; 

T 

4,  maker’s  mark,  R • G.  (Richard  G-nrney  & Co.) 

Flagon,  H.  101  in.  Chalice,  H.  10  in.  Alms  bason, 
Dia.  10  in.  Four  marks  on  Flagon:  — 1,  Lion  passant;  2, 
Leopard’s  head  crowned ; 3,  Old  English  capital  31,  London, 

1766  ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  J crowned.  (Thos.  Heming.) 
On  Chalice  the  maker’s  mark  is  wanting,  and  the  date- 
letter  is  an  old  English  capital  31,  London,  1764.  There  are  no 


212 


OLD  PLATE. 


marks  on  the  Alms  bason.  All  engraved  with  the  Eoyal 
arms  between  the  initials 

Plate  of  the  same  date  and  by  the  same  maker  is  at  Trin- 
ity Church,  Xew  York. 


Chalice,  H.  6|  in.  F our  marks : — 1 , Lion’s  head  erased ; 
2,  Britannia  ; 3,  Eoman  capital  C,  London,  1718  ; 4,  maker’s 
mark,  I S,  pellet  above,  one  below  each  letter,  z between, 
lobed  shield.  (Thos.  Issod.) 


Paten,  Dia.  6 in.  Four  marks:  — The  first  three  as 
above;  4,  maker’s  mark,  B A,  mullet  above  and  below, 
lobed  escutcheon.  (John  Bathe.) 

As  S.  John’s  was  only  built  in  1741,  it  is  probable  that  the  vessels  were 
brought  from  the  church  at  Carls,  which  was  burned.  The  Font  was  ob- 
tained from  there.  * In  the  year  1791  a committee  appointed  to  inquire 
into  the  property  of  the  parish  report  “ that  there  is  one  silver  cup  and 
salver.” 

* " Old  Churches  and  Families  of  Virginia,"  Bishop  Meade. 


EICHMOND. 


S.  JOHN’S  CHURCH. 


NO.  80. — CHALICE  AND  PATEN  (1718):  S.  JOHN'S  CHUBCH. 
EICHMOND.  TA. 


VIRGINIA. 


213 


NORFOLK. 

CHRIST  CHURCH. 


The  original  title  of  the  parish  seems  to  have  been  the 
Elizabeth  River  Parish,  Norfolk  county.  It  was  one  of  the 
earliest,  founded  soon  after  the  first  settlement  of  the  Col- 
ony, in  1637.  In  1739  a church  was  erected  on  ground  given 
by  Mr.  Samuel  Boush ; this  was  destroyed  in  1778  when 
the  city  was  bombarded  by  the  British.  It  was  restored, 
and  in  1800  a new  church  was  built ; this  was  burned  in  1827, 
when  the  present  edifice  was  erected. 

Chalice,  H.  8 in.  Four  marks : — 1,  Lion’s  head  erased ; 
2,  Britannia ; 3,  Court-hand  E,  London,  1700 ; 4,  maker’s 
mark,  S M,  rose  and  crown  above,  pellet  below,  shaped 
shield.  (John  Smith.)  Engraved  with  a coat  of  arms.  On 
a chevron  between  three  trefoils  as  many  mullets,  and  on 
the  opposite  side  this  inscription : 


C-J'o*Vyj' 

t-c-  tLc. 

/ *] 00 


Chalice,  H.  7 in.  Paten,  Dia.  51  in.  Four  marks: — 1, 
Lion  passant ; 2,  Leopard’s  head  crowned ; 3,  Roman  cap- 
ital G,  London,  1722;  4,  maker’s  mark,  T.F,  fleur-de-lis 
above,  pellet  between,  mullet  below,  lobed  escutcheon. 
(Thos.  Ffarrer.) 


On  the  Paten  the  only  distinct  mark  is  the  date-letter,  and  it  has  the  ap- 
pearance of  having,  at  one  time,  a foot. 

Both  are  engraved  with  a coat  of  arms,  a chevron  between 
three  sea-horses.  Crest,  a lion’s  gamb  holding  a battle-axe, 
and  the  inscription : 


214 


OLD  PLATE. 


3bs^  o-^-  3us3c^\, 

'Lo-  3PgLs\sL&Jo  (tLuyLsC^Ls  o-^- 

o-  Lb  3&'U>~WZs  3-jlA^oLt  3:  l*]33. 


1700.  1722. 

NO.  81. — CHALICES,  CHRIST  CHURCH,  NORFOLK.  VA. 


Alms  bason,  Dia.  11  in.  Four  marks : — 1,  Lion  passant; 
2,  Leopard’s  Lead  crowned;  3,  small  Roman  p,  London, 

1750 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  J-  3^,  mullet  above.  (Jolin  Rob- 
inson.) In  tlie  center  a coat  of  arms.  Three  griffins’  heads 
erased. 

Inscription  : 


33 'lisoLuj-esiL 

YMsZs'/wo-s 'uy,  WLit  a to-c^L 

&jt  ${j3-A^o-3Lb 
Stalls  o-^-  / *] tfcj . 


* “ In  1751  Capt.  Whitwell,  commander  of  His  Majesty’s  ship  ‘Triton,’ 
presented  a piece  of  silver  plate  to  the  church  in  compliment  to  his  wife  be- 
ing buried  there.  In  1 762(?)  Christopher  Perkins  gave  a large  silver  Flagon 
in  honor  of  his  wife  buried  there.” 


Bishop  Perry. 


VIRGINIA. 


215 


Flagon,  H.  131  in.  Four  marks  : — 1,  Lion  passant ; 2, 
Leopard’s  liead  crowned ; old  English  capital  1;,  London, 

1763 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  3 ify.  (Fuller  White.)  Engraved 
with  a coat  of  arms.  A chevron  between  three  ostrich  feath- 
ers. Crest,  a demi-man  ppr.,  crowned  in  dexter  three  ostrich 
feathers. 

Inscription : 


ovl-  o-^ 

i^LxX  uALcx  tt»-cxX 


/x£  IJ6&. 


MARTEN’S  BRANDON. 

BRANDON  CHURCH. • 

Chalice,  H.  81  in.  Paten,  Dia.  61  in.  Four  marks : — 
1,  Lion  passant ; 2,  Leopard’s  head  crowned  ; 3,  black-let- 
ter capital  115,  London,  1659;  4,  maker’s  mark,  M,  mullet 
below,  heart-shaped  shield. 

Inscription  on  both  vessels  : 


xAxX  A-  J^-g-Jovu  'i'if ' 

X G-*  ^^'CA'X'XxxTx  txAcx  X-  X L 

A-  /^-'Xcx^x^lc 


*G-^. 


The  maker’s  mark  is  also  on  a chalice  at  the  Old  South  Church,  Boston. 
The  tomb  of  Elizabeth  Westhrope,  d.  1649,  is  in  the  vicinity. 

Baptismal  bason,  Dia.  101  in. ; H.  41  in.  Four  marks : — 
1,  Lion  passant;  2,  Leopard’s  head  crowned;  3,  Roman 


216 


OLD  PLATE. 


capital  Q,  London,  1731  ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  T-F,  fleur-de-lis 
above,  pellet  between,  mullet  below,  lobed  escutcheon. 
(Thomas  Ffarrer,  as  at  Christ  Church,  Norfolk.) 

Inscription : 


NORTH  FARNHAM  AND  LUNENBURG!. 

FARNHAM  CHUKCH. 

Flagon,  H.  11  in.  Paten. 

S.  JOHN’S  CHURCH. 

Flagon,  H.  11  in.  Chalice,  H.  84  in.  Four  marks : — 
1,  Lion’s  head  erased;  2,  Britannia;  3,  Roman  capital  E, 


NO.  82. — FLAGON  AND  CHALICE  (1720);  S.  JOHN’S,  LUNENBURG,  RICHMOND  CO.,  VA. 


VIRGINIA. 


217 


London,  1720 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  F A,  fleur-de-lis  above, 
mullet  below,  shaped  escutcheon.  (Thomas  Ffarrer.)  The 
vessels  are  engraved  with  the  sacred  monogram  within 
rays,  and  the  following  inscriptions : 


PP J-o-  iu  (It  to'uo/o 

ILy,  'bo-'L  Vis  J^l  c 

/ <p  1816 


tsC-*  CL'-nts  cl,v(^cL 

PP ‘Ijcu  fa-ys  P)t  its  PP 

Pi) ' 'bvtys  JpCLA^C^lls  36  I8J6- 


After  the  Revolutionary  War,  the  Church  in  Virginia  was  in  a very  de- 
pressed condition,  owing  to  the  fact  that  it  had  been  so  closely  allied  to  Eng- 
land ; the  Legislature  ordered  the  glebes  and  plate  to  be  sold,  the  money  to 
be  devoted  to  educational  purposes.  Col.  John  Tayloe,  of  Washington, 
who  owned  a handsome  residence  (Mount  Airy)  near  Farnham,  bought  the 
silver  and  presented  it  to  S.  John’s  Church,  Washington,  Dec.,  1816. 

Col.  Tayloe  was  an  intimate  friend  of  General  Washington. 

In  1876,  finding  that  they  had  for  years  been  using  confiscated  plate,  the 
then  Vestry  of  S.  John’s  restored  it  to  its  rightful  owners,  but  as  two  of  the 
pieces,  a chalice  and  paten,  had  been  stolen  while  at  Washington,  the  two 
churches  divided  the  plate,  Farnham  taking  a flagon  and  paten,  and  S.  John’s 
a flagon  and  chalice. 

* “ I cannot  forbear  remarking  that  there  is  no  part  of  the  conduct  of  the 
opponents  of  the  Episcopal  Church  which  appears  so  unamiable  and  unjusti- 
fiable as  that  in  regard  to  the  church  plate.  It  was  almost  always  a private 
donation,  as  the  vestry  books  and  inscriptions  show,  and  even  if  it  had  not 
been,  the  framers  and  supporters  of  the  law  would  have  felt  themselves  in- 
sulted if  the  insinuation  had  been  made  at  the  time  of  its  passage  that  such 
an  application  of  it  would  be  made.  But  numerous  instances  have  occurred 
in  which  such  application  has  been  made,  while  too  many  have  been  the 
cases  where  individuals  have  seized  upon  the  vessels  and  made  away  with 
them  for  their  private  benefit.” 


Bishop  Meade. 


218 


OLD  PL  A TP. 


HAHOVER. 

s.  martin’s  church. 

Chalice,  H.  9 in.  Patex,  Dia.  11  in.  Four  marks:  — 1, 
Lion  passant ; 2,  Leopard’s  head  crowned ; old  English 
capital  D,  London,  1759 ; 4,  maker’s  mark,  ? -I  (indistinct). 
Xo  marks  on  paten.  Both  vessels  are  engraved  with  the 
sacred  monogram  within  rays,  as  at  Farnham  and  Lunen- 
burg, and  this  inscription : 


* “Airwell,  the  family  seat  of  the  Berkeleys,  was  the  place  where  the  com- 
munion-plate was  kept.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Berkeley,  and  death  or  res- 
ignation of  the  minister,  by  which,  under  the  law,  the  glebes  were  forfeited, 
the  overseers  of  the  poor  wished  to  do  what  was  done  in  some  other  parishes, 
viz.,  bring  the  sacred  vessels  under  the  operation  of  that  act,  but  which  in 
other  parishes  was  scorned  to  be  done.  Those  in  Hanover,  however,  well 
knowing  not  only  the  pious  attachment  of  Mrs.  Berkeley  to  everything  be- 
longing to  the  church,  but  that  she  was  a lady  of  dignity,  firmness,  and  au- 
thority, instead  of  appearing  in  person  to  demand  the  plate,  sent  an  em- 
bassy to  her  for  the  purpose,  through  whom  she  returned  this  answer : ‘ Tell 
the  gentlemen  to  come  and  take  them .’  They  never  came,  and  the  vessels 
are  now  in  use.” 


CHRIST  CHURCH  PARISH. 

s.  mart’s,  now  called  white  chapel  church. 

Chalice,  H.  9 in.  Paten.  Four  marks : — Three  indis- 
tinct; maker’s  mark,  G C,  mullet  between,  two  pellets 
below,  shaped  shield. 


Bishop  Meade. 


VIRGINIA. 


219 


Inscription : 


G~l  *d<ZsV-4scL  Z^o-^  /£6<7 


* “From  the  earliest  records  of  Lancaster  county,  when  Middlesex  and 
Lancaster  were  one,  it  appears  that  in  the  year  1661  a general  vestry  is 
formed,  and  Mr.  John  Carter,  Henry  Corbyn,  David  Fox  and  William 
Leech  are  appointed  to  take  up  subscriptions  for  the  support  of  the 
minister.” 


CHRIST  CHURCH. 


Chalice,  H.  in.  Paten,  Dia.  10  in.  Four  marks  on 
each.  On  Chalice  only  one  distinct ; maker’s  mark  H,  or 
double  I,  two  mullets  above,  one  on  each  side,  heart-shaped 
shield.  On  Paten : — 1,  Lion  passant ; 2,  Leopard’s  head 
crowned ; 3,  black-letter  small  6,  London,  1695 ; 4,  maker’s 
mark,  S H,  the  S within  the  H,  pellet  below,  plain  shield, 
as  shown  stamped  (upside  down)  on  the  copper  plate 
preserved  at  Goldsmiths  Hall. 

Inscription : 


<0 


*Bishop  Meade. 


The  writer  would  be  glad  to  Lave  the  names  of  any  places  where  Old 
Plate  is  to  be  found,  and  will  be  thankful  for  any  notes,  impressions  from 
marks,  or  suggestions,  with  which  his  readers  may  be  good  enough  to 
favor  him,  in  order  that  greater  accuracy  may  be  insured  in  any  future 
edition. 


220 


OLD  PLATE. 


CHRONOLOGICAL  LIST 


OF 


EXAMPLES  OF  AMERICAN  PLATE  MENTIONED  IN  THE  FOREGOING 

PAGES. 


Dated. 

1659  I H 

R S 

1661 

1672  D : I 

1679  I H 
R S 

1685  W R 

1699  I ' E 

1701*1  C 

I D 


1706  E.W 
1708 

1711  E.W 

1712  P S 
1714  I D 


Maker’s  Mark.  Article,  Owner  and  Donor.  Page. 

Rose  above,  shaped  escutcheon  . ( Beaker,  First  Church,  Bos- 

Mullet  above,  shaped  shield  . . . . / ton 163 

(John  Hull  and  Robert  Sanderson.)  ( Tjje  of  1659. 

John  Hull  and  Robert  ganderN  Ch^liee’ First  Church>  Bos'  , ,,  . 

son,  asm  1659  ) ...  „ „ . . 

( The  gift  of  a Friend.  R*H. 

( Beaker,  First  Church,  Dor- 

in  a circle,  pellet  above  and  below  < Chester 192 

( The  gift  of  Mrs.  Thatcher. 

Mullet  below,  heart-shaped  shield  ( Two  Beakers,  First  Church, 

Rose  above,  shaped  escutcheon . < Dorchester 193 

(John  Hull  and  Robert  Sanderson.)  ^ T^ft  of  Tll0S-  and  Alice 

Pellet  above  each  letter,  mullet  I Beaker,  First  Church,  Dor- 

between,  pellet  below,  shaped  < Chester 193 

shield ( The  gift  of  John  Gengen. 

I Beaker,  First  Church,  Dor- 

Lobed  escutcheon < Chester 194 

( The  gift  of  Isaac  Jones. 

Loving  cup,  Harvard  Uni- 

Mullet  below,  shaped  shield ) versity  ••■■■■■  ■■■■■  108 

7 r i The  gift  of  the  Hon.  Win. 

' Stoughton 

ne.r-ds.lU  below,  beeped  $ 194 

(UaDlw.ll!, lTUo4»».°'  °0T-  W”' 

t Baptismal  bason,  Second 

Fleur-de-lis  below,  shaped  shields  Church,  Boston 170 

( The  gift  of  Adam  Winthrop. 

, Three  Chalices,  First 

T , rb-  n i rrm  ) Church,  Boston 160 

John  Dixwell  s ) as  m 1701 . . < ml  ....  ’ T . 

j The  gift  of  Elder  Joseph 
” Briaghani. 

/ Alms  basons,  Second 

nsinlTOR  < Church,  Boston 169 

71 ) The  gifts  of  Edward  and 

' Thomas  Hutchinson. 

( Flagon  and  Baptismal  ba- 

< son, Christ  Church,  Phila  152 

( The  gift  of  Col.  Robt.  Quary. 

^ Two-handled  cup,  Kings 

in  a circle  < Chapel,  Boston 181 

(John  Dixwell.)  } E*  dgn0  C-  Lyman  to  ye  uew 


Probably  made  in  London. 


CHRONOLOGICAL  LIST. 


221 


Dated. 

1714 

1715 

1716 

1717 

1722 

1723 
1723- 

1724 

1725 

1726 
1729 


Maker's  Mark. 

I D in  a circle  .... 

(John  Dixwell.) 

I C Crowned,  animal(?)  below, 

shaped  shield 

John  Dixwell,  as  in  1714  .... 

W.P  

John  Dixwell,  as  in  1714.  . . 

John  Dixwell(?),  as  in  1701 

John  Dixwell,  as  in  1714  . 


Article.  Owner  and  Donor.  Page. 
Tankard,  Kings  Chapel, 

Boston 180 

Given  by  John  Baker  to  the 
new  N.  C. 

Beaker,  Old  South,  Bos- 
ton  176 

M 

ExdonoW  Pto  South  Church. 

Cup,  Kings  Chapel,  Bos- 
ton  182 

Ex  dono  N.  Loring  to  the  new 
N.  Church. 

Tankard,  First  Church, 

Boston 163 

The  gitt  of  John  Borland. 
Two-handled  cup,  Kings 

Chapel,  Boston 181 

“The  gift  of  Elder  John  Dix- 
well to  the  new  N.  Church.” 

t Tankard,  First  Church, 

< Boston 161 

( The  gift  of  Sami  More. 

Baptismal  bason,  Kings 

Chapel,  Boston 183 

The  gift  of  Mrs.  David  Parnum 
to  the  New  North  Church. 


I B Crowned,  pellet  below,  shaped 
shield  

I R Crowned,  pellet  below,  plain 
shield  

I R Crowned,  shaped  shield  .... 

I E Crowned,  fleur-de-lis  below, 
shaped  shield. 

I B as  in  1723  

A R 

IE  as  in  1724  

i : Kneeland 


, Flagon,  Second  Church, 

i Boston 165 

\ The  legacy  of  Mr.  John  Fri- 
' zell. 

I Two-handled  cup,  Second 

< Church,  Boston 168 

( Given  by  W.  L. 

Two-handled  cup,  Second 

Church,  Boston 168 

Given  by  Nathaniel  Loring. 

Chalice,  Christ  Church, 

Boston  186 

The  gift  of  Capt.  Thomas 
Tudor. 

, Tankard,  Second  Church, 

S Boston 167 

1 The  gift  of  Mrs.  Dorothy 
* Frizell. 

Chalice  and  Paten,  S. 

Paul’s,  Edenton,  N.  C 207 
The  gift  of  Col.  Edward 
Mosely. 

Flagon,  First  Church, 

Boston 158 

The  gift  of  the  Hon.  Win. 
Dummer. 

. Tankards,  Harvard  Uni- 

S versity 117 

\ The  gifts  of  John  and  William 
' Vassal!. 


R GREENE  and  R G 


\ Flagons,  Christ  Church, 
) Boston 


186 


222 


OLD  PLATE. 


Dated. 

1730 

1731 

1732 

1733 

1734 


1735 

1736 

1737 
1745 


Maker's  Mark. 

I G Crowned,  quatre-foil  below,  plain 
shield 

IE  as  in  1724 

JOHN  BURT 

I G as  in  1730  

I • HURD 

P O Heart-shaped  shield 

S : Burrill  and  S'B 

J CLARKE  

B B 

I R I 

J CLARKE | 

E W Quatre-foil  below,  lobed  shield,  j 

SS  | 

HURD < 

i • HURD  as  in  1732 

JOHN  BURT  as  in  1731  


Article,  Owner  and  Donor. 
Two-handled  cup,  Second 

Church,  Boston  

A Friend’s  gift  to  the  North 
Brick  Church. 

Tankard,  Old  South,  Bos- 
ton  

(With  the  Sewall  arms.) 
Loving  Cup,  Harvard  Uni- 
versity   

From  the  Bequest  of  Col. 
Sami  Brown. 

Two-handled  cup,  Second 
Church,  Boston 

Baptismal  bason,  Christ 

Church,  Boston 

The  gift  of  Arthur'  Savage, 
Esq. 

Flagon,  Second  Church, 

Boston 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Wensley  to 
the  Second  Church. 
Flagon,  Second  Church, 

Boston 

The  gift  of  Mrs.  Dorothy 
Frizell. 

Flagon,  S.  John’s,  Provi- 
dence   

An  oblation  from  Nathaniel 
Kay. 

Flagon,  S.  Michael’s,  Bris- 
tol   

An  oblation  from  Nathaniel 
Kay. 

Flagon  and  Chalice,  S. 

Michael’s,  Bristol  

A legacy  of  Nathaniel  Kay, 
Esq. 

Flagon,  S.  Paul’s,  Wick- 

ford  

A legacy  of  Nathaniel  Kay, 
Esq. 

Paten,  S.  Michael’s,  Bris- 
tol   

A legacy  of  Nathaniel  Kay, 
Esq. 

Baptismal  bason,  S. 

George’s,  Hempstead  . . 
The  gift  of  Mr.  John  March. 
Tankard,  First  Church, 

Dorchester 

The  gift  of  Elijah  Danforth, 
Esq. 

Tankards,  First  Church, 

Boston 

The  gift  of  Deacon  Jonathan 
Williams. 

Flagon,  Kings  Chapel, 

Boston 

The  gift  of  Mrs.  Rebecca  Wa- 
ters to  the  New  N.  Church. 


Page. 

169 

173 

110 

169 

187 

166 

166 

206 

204 

204 

203 

204 

146 

195 

163 

179 


CHRONOLOGICAL  LIST. 


223 


Dated.  Maker’s  Mark. 

1745  HURD  as  in  1736  


1747  G R 

(Geo.  Ridout?) 


t * Edwards 


1748  w BURT 


HURD  as  in  1736 


1751  I.  BRIDGE 


Article , Owner  and  Donor.  Page. 
Beaker,  First  Church,  Dor- 


< Chester 196 

( The  gift  of  Mr.  William  Clap. 

L Alms  bason,  Trinity 

< Church,  New  York.  . . 143 

( Donor,  King  George  II. 

t Alms  bason,  S.  Michael’s 

< Bristol 205 

( The  gift  of  Isaac  Royall,  Esq. 

, Flagon,  Old  South,  Bos- 

S ton 171 

1 The  gift  of  Nathaniel  Cun- 
* ningham,  Esq. 

, Tankard,  First  Church, 

S Dorchester 196 

) The  gift  of  Deacon  Hopestiil 
' Clap. 

f Flagon,  Kings  Chapel,  Bos- 

| ton 180 

{ The  gift  of  Mrs.  Mary  Huue- 
| well,  dec’d,  to  the  New 

^ North  Church. 


1752 


I C Fleur-de-lis  below,  heart-shaped 
shield 


Tankard,  First  Church, 

Boston 

The  gift  of  Madam  Eliz.  Wel- 
steed. 


162 


1753  BRIDGE 

1755  A P 

1758  REVERE  

1761  T H 

1763  w cowell 

1764  Minott 

1773  D H 

(Daniel  Henchman.) 

I R as  in  1734 


Flagon,  Second  Church, 

Boston  167 

Given  hy  Rev.  Mr.  Welsteed 
on  his  death-bed. 

Alms  bason,  S.  Michael’s, 

Charleston,  S.  C 210 

The  gift  of  Henry  Midelton, 

Esq. 

Chalice,  Old  South,  Bos- 
ton  175 

The  gift  of  Rev.  Mr.  Tlios. 
Prince,  bet.  1718-58. 

Alms  bason,  Grace  Church, 

Jamaica 147 

The  gift  of  Mr.  John  Troup. 

Tankard,  Old  South,  Bos- 
ton  173 

The  legacy  of  Mrs.  Mary  Ire- 
land. 

Flagon,  Old  South,  Bos- 
ton . . 172 

The  gift  of  Mr.  John  Simp- 
son. 


Chalices,  First  Church, 

Boston 161 

The  gift  of  Mrs.  Lydia  Han- 
cock. 

Tankard,  Gloria  Dei,  Phil- 
adelphia  153 

The  gift  of  Mrs.  E.  Yander- 
spiegle. 


224 


OLD  PLATE. 


Dated.  Maker's  Mark. 

1773  J GARDNER  

IE  as  in  1724  

i.  david  and  I'D 

BP 

(Benj.  Pierpont?) 

1775  S.  BARTLETT 

I : potwine  ....  

1796  revere,  as  in  1758  . . . 
1798  MOULTON  

revere,  as  in  1758 

1804  moulton,  as  in  1798  . . 

1805  P R Shaped  shield 

(Paul  Revere  2) 

1808  BENJAMIN  BURT 

1809  moulton,  as  in  1798  ... . 

1812  H.  WISH  ART 


Article,  Owner  and  Donor.  Page. 
( Chalice  and  Paten,  S. 

I Luke’s  Chapel,  Middle- 
<J  town,  Conn.,  formerly  at 
I S.  James’s,  New  London  206 
1 Given  by  Dr.  Yeldall. 

, Tankard,  First  Church, 

S Boston 162 

\ Tbe  gift  of  Nathaniel  Bals- 
' ton,  Esq. 

Flagon  and  Paten,  S. 

S Peter’s,  Lewes,  Del . . . 154 

\ The  gift  of  the  Hon.  John 
' Penn. 


, Beaker,  First  Church,  Dor- 

S Chester 197 

1 The  gift  of  Mr.  Ebenezer 
’ Mosley. 

, Flagon,  First  Church,  Bos- 

S ton  158 

1 The  gift  of  Deacon  Thomas 
' Waite. 

, Tankard,  Second  Church, 

S Boston  168 

) The  gift  of  Madam  Sarah 
' Welsteed. 

( Alms  bason,  First  Church, 

< Boston 164 

( Given  by  Suviah  Thayer. 

, Plate,  Kings  Chapel,  Bos- 

S ton 179 

\ Presented  by  Madam  Bull- 
v finch. 


, Baptismal  bason,  Kings 

S Chapel,  Boston 179 

\ The  gift  of  Ebenezer  Oliver, 

' Esq. 

, Flagons,  Old  South,  Bos- 

S ton  172 

1 The  gift  of  the  Hon.  fm. 

' Phillips. 

( Tankard,  First  Church, 

< Dorchester 198 

( A gift  of  Sarah  Preston. 

( Tankard,  First  Church, 

< Dorchester 198 

( The  gift  of  Lois  Wiswell. 

, Flagon,  Old  South,  Bos- 

^ ton 172 

\ Bequeathed  by  Deaeon  the 
' Hon.  Thomas  Dawes. 

(Alms  bason,  S.  Paul’s, 

Edenton,  N.  C.  207 

Presented  by  the  ladies  of 
the  Prot.  Epis.  Church  in 
( Edenton,  1812. 


CHRONOLOGICAL  LIST. 


225 


CHRONOLOGICAL  LIST  OF  EXAMPLES  OF  PLATE, 


WITH  THE  DATE-LETTERS  USED,  AT  GOLDSMITHS  HALL, 
LONDON,  AND  THE  MAKER’S  MARK. 


In  the  following  list  the  years  must  be  understood  to  begin 
in  the  month  of  May  of  the  year  given  as  the  date,  and  to 
end  in  the  same  month  of  the  year  following : 


Bate. 


Maker’s  Mark. 


Article  and  Owner. 


Alphabet  VII.  1558  to  1577. 

1569  Animal’s  head,  plain  $ C1lalj®e  and  cover  paten,  usual  Eliza- 

shield  { bethan  belt- 

f Scroll-and-Keys  Soc’y,  Yale  University. 


1572  A B Linked  letters 


Chalice  and  cover  paten,  belt  only  on 
Chalice. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


Alphabet  IX.  1598  to  1617. 


1600  Five-pointed  star,  a ( Seal-headed  Spoon  ; on  back  of  bowl,  R 8 

mullet  below,  plain  t 1634. 

shield  ( Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 


1607  C B 


Pellet  between,  rose, 
or  mullet  below, 
plain  shield 


Chalice. 


Old  South  Church,  Boston. 


1610  TG 

1611 


Three  pellets  above,  i 
shaped  shield.  . . . ( 

ACatherine  wheel  (?)  ( 
crowned,  shaped  / 
escutcheon f 


The  Winthrop  Cup. 

First  Church,  Boston. 

Chalice  and  cover  paten,  usual  belt. 

S.  Peter’s  Church,  Perth  Amboy,  N.  J. 


1613  R B 


( Cylindrical  standing  salt  with  cover,  ball 
Pellet  below,  shaped  . and  claw  feet. 

shield ( Imperial  Treasury,  Moscow. 

(Replica  Met,  Museum.) 


15 


226 


OLD  PLATE. 


Date. 

1618. 

1623 

1626 

1638 

1639 

1640 

1641 
1645 
1650 

1658 

1659 
1661 

1663 

1666 

1667 

1672 

1674 

1675 


Maker’s  Mark. 


Article  and  Owner. 


Alphabet  X.  1618  to  1637. 

| Chalice  V sha.ped  bowl,  baluster  stem. 
\ Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 

HS  Star  below,  shaped  $ P1“n°kaljc®-  ‘ ‘ °up  belongeth to  the 

'i  Parish  of  Poulsted.”  (Polstead  Suffolk?) 
( Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


T F Monogram,  plain  ( Chalice  V shaped  bowl,  baluster  stem. 

shield \ First  Church,  Boston. 

Alphabet  XI.  1638  to  1657. 

■ I C • Between  two  pellets,  $ Chalice  V shaped  bowl,  baluster  stem. 

First  Church,  Boston. 

First  Church,  Boston. 

Mr.  K.  8.  Ely. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


heart-shaped  shield 

T G Pellet  below,  shaped  i Chalice, 

shield \ 

IH  Plain  shield i Seal-headed  spoon 


H B Linked  letters. 


( Chalice. 


S V Shaped  shield | Spoon. 


SV  As  in  1645 | Spoon 


Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 
Alphabet  XII.  1658  to  1677. 


S V 

As  in  1645 

i Spoon. 

\ Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 

M 

Heart-shaped  shield.  < 

[ Chalice  and  paten.  The  gift  of  Major 
| John  Westhrope. 

f Brandon  Church,  Va. 

G S 

Pellet  above  each  let- 1 
ter,  erozier  be-  • 
tween,  plain  shield. 

) Beaker,  engraved  belt. 

1 Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 

H • E Mullet  below,  heart-  < 
shaped  shield 1 

i Wine  taster,  gilt. 

• Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

T A 

Mullet  between, 
heart-shaped  shield 

\ Two-handled  cup. 

1 Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

F • G Pellet  between, lobed  j Two-handled  cup. 


escutcheon 


Scroll-and-Keys  Soc’y,  Yale  University. 


T K*  Mullet  below,  plain  j Plain  standing  dishes. 


shield  . 


Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


T • P Pellet  between,  plain  ( Standing  dish,  used  as  a paten. 


shield 


S.  Paul’s  Ch.,  Newburyport. 


■p,  r it  ) Beaker  engraved  and  gilt. 

) Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


CHRONOLOGICAL  LINT. 


227 


Date. 

1678 

1684. 

1685 

1686 

1689 

1690 

1691 
1694 


1695 


Maker's  Mark.  Article  and  Owner. 

Alphabet  XIII.  1678  to  1696. 

(Plain  chalice.  “Ed:  Wicks,  Eic:  Poyn- 

F S*  Plain  shield •:  ter,  Church  wardens.” 

f Scroll-and-Keys  Soc’y,  Yale  University. 

^ Alms  bason,  with  the  Eoyal  Arms,  W\  R 
1 Trinity  Church,  New  York. 

P*  Shaped  shield  $ Large  tankard,  embossed  with  tulips,  etc. 

" ) Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

A W*  Monogram,  shaped  ( Two-handled  cup,  acanthus  ornament. 

shield ) Scroll-and-Keys  Soc’y,  Yale  University. 

} Trencher  salt. 

} Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 

PH*  Under  a crown  and  , m , , , 

two  ermine  spots,  \ Two-handled  cup  and  cover,  cut  card 

shaped  escutcheon  > W01  ' „ 

(Peeter  Harache)  ' chnst  Churcl1’  Bruton  Pal'18h-  Va- 

Y ■ T Mallet  below,  shaped  ( Small  chased  beaker. 

shield \ Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 

D B*  Star  above,  crescent  ( T i , , , „ , , , 

below,  lobedescut-  ) LarSe  salver-  gadrooned  and  fluted  edge, 
cheon ( Mr.  F.  H.  Betts. 

R*  Pellet  below,  shaped  i Salver. 

shield ( Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

F • G*  Pellet  below,  shaped  /n  . 

shield . . / Paten- 

(Francis  Garthorne)  Trinty  chur('h’  New  York- 

\ Flagon  and  chalice. 

) S.  John’s  Chapel,  New  York. 

( Flagon,  chalice,  and  paten. 

Christ  Ch.,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

1 Flagon. 

S.  Paul's  Ch.,  Newburyport,  Mass. 
All  with  the  Royal  Arms  W\  R' 

R P*  Pellet  above  each  let- (Alms  bason.  The  gift  of  Col.  Robt 
ter,  one  below,  / . Quary. 

shaped  shield  ( Christ  Church,  Phila. 

, Communion  plate,  with  the  Royal  arms. 
F • G*  Francis  Garthorne, as  WR 

m 1694 \ _ . , . 

( S.  Anne’s  Church,  Annapolis,  Md. 

S . H*  Monogram,  pellet  be-  ( Paten. 

low,  plain  shield . \ Christ  Church  Parish,  Lancaster  Co.,  Va. 


‘Similar  marks  will  be  found  on  copy  of  copper  plate  preserved  at  Goldsmiths  Hall 
London  (1675-1697).  Pages  249,  250,  251. 


228 


OLD  PLATE. 


In  1697  the  names  of  the  makers  appear  for  the  first  time  in  the  books  of  the 
Goldsmiths  Company.  From  1697  to  1720  the  Britannia  standard,  and  for 
maker's  mark  the  two  first  letters  of  the  surname. 


Date. 

1698  &V 

LA 
1700  S M 

1702  C H 

P E 

B O 

1703  M A 

1704  W I 

1705  <©1 

1706 

1707  E A 

L O 


s>t 


Maker's  Mark.  Article  ancl  Owner. 

Alphabet  XIV.  1696  to  1715. 

Abird(?)  above, fleur-  f 
de-lis  below,  I Farr  of  candlesticks, 
shaped  shield . . . . i Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

(Richard  Syngin.) 

Crowned,  pellet  be-  ( Three-pronged  fork,  gilt  ^7  under  a 
low,  lobed  shield  . < crown. 

(John  Ladyman.)  ( Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

Under  a rose  and  , 

crown,  shaped  S Chalice.  The  gift  of  Capt.  Sami.  Boush, 

shield ) Christ  Church,  Norfolk,  Ya. 

(John  Smith.)  ’ 

Fleur-de-lis  above,  C Coff  ot. 

shaped  escutcheon  ! Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

(JohnChartier.)  ( 

A pellet  above  each, 

letter,  one  below,  i Two-handled  cup. 

plain  shield J Scroll-and-Keys  Soc’y,  Yale  University. 

(Robt.  Peake?)  ' 

Mitre  above,  fleur-de-,  Q^a^ee  and  paten.  “Ex  dono  Societatis 
lis  below,  shaped)  , 1 „ ...  „ 

escutcheon  < de  propagando  Evangelio.” 

escutcheon  ■_■■■■■(  Trinity  Church,  Newport,  R.  I. 

(John  Bodmgton.)  v 

Swan  above,  plaint  Tankard_ 

oval < Mr  R H Flv 

(Willoughby  Masham.)  ( ' ' 'y' 

Fleur-de-lis  below,  ( Chalice  and  paten.  “Ex  dono  Societatis 
shaped  shield . . . . < de  promovendo  Evangelis.” 

(John  Wisdome.)  ( Grace  Church,  Jamaica,  L.  I. 

Dotted  punch  f Chalice  and  paten.  “ Annas  Reginte.” 

(Wm.  Gibson.)  ) S.  Mary’s  Church,  Burlington,  N.  J. 

1 Chalice  and  paten.  “Annas  Regime.” 

I S.  Peter’s  Church,  Perth  Amboy,  N.  J. 

Wm.  Gibson,  as  in  $ Chalice  and  paten.  “Anna  Regina.” 
1705  \ S.  Paul’s  Church,  Wickford,  R.  I 

F1shaped"1sMeld1  ° \ Flag°n  and  chalice.  “Annas  Reginas.” 

(John  Eastt.)  ( Christ  Clmrcll>  Philadelphia. 

Monogram S Flagon  and  two  chalices. 

(Matt  E.  Lofthouse.)  J Presbyterian  Church,  Hyattsville,  Md. 

Shaped  shield  ( Cup. 

(J.  M.  Stocker  and  Ed.  < Mr.  J.  W.  Drexel. 

Peacock.)  ( (Metropolitan  Museum.) 


CHRONOLOGICAL  LIST. 


229 


Date. 

1708  E A 


1709  Ga 


1711  C L 


G A 


G A 


1712  Pa 

1713  Co 

1714  We 

1715  He 

G E 


1716  ©i 

1717  FA 


Maher’s  Mark. 


Article  and  Owner. 


John  Eastt,  as  in  , Chalice  and  paten.  “Ann®  Begin®.” 
1707  I S.  Peter’s  Church,  Westchester. 

1 Chalice  and  paten.  “Ann®  Begin®.” 
i Christ  Church,  Rye,  N.  Y. 

I Chalice  and  paten.  “Ann®  Begin®.” 

S.  George’s  Church,  Hempstead,  L.  I. 


a within  the  G,  pel- 
let below,  shaped 

shield  

(Francis  Garthorne.) 


Communion  service,  seven  pieces.  All 
with  the  Boyal  arms 

Trinity  Church,  New  York. 


Bose  and  crown, 
above,  shaped  es-)  Two-handled  cup. 

cutcheon ) Scroll-aml-Keys  Soc’y,  Yale  University. 

(Jonah  Clifton.)  * 


Francis  Garthorne,  / Communion  service,  six  pieces, 
as  in  1709  I s.  Peter’s,  Albany. 

; Flagon,  chalice,  and  alms  bason. 

( Brantford,  Canada. 

'Flagon  and  paten. 

/ Deseronto,  Canada. 

1 All  engraved  with  the  Boyal  arms  N R 


Crowned,  between  two  . 
pellets,  oval  object  / 
below,  plain  circle.  | 

(Win. Gamble.  Ent.  1697, y Small  cup. 
but  probably  the  \ 
mark  of  his  son  and  | 
successor  Ellis  Gam-  I 
ble,to  whom  Hogarth  \ 
was  apprenticed  1712.) 


Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 


1 above,  pellet  below, 
shaped  shield . 
(Humphrey  Payne.) 


S Tankard. 


Geo.  Cox 


Bat-tail  spoon. 


Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 


Trefoil  below,  plain  ( Sugar  caster, 
lozenge  ( Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

Crowned,  fleur-de-lis  , 

below,  shaped)  Paten.  The  gift  of  Leonard  Vassall,  Esq. 

shield 1 Christ  Church,  Boston. 

(John  Read.)  ) 


R within  the  G, 
shaped  shield  ... 
(Richard  Greene.) 


Two-handled  cup. 


Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 


Alphabet  XV.  1716  to  1735. 


Pellet  above  and  be- 
low   

(Robert  Hill.) 


Brazier. 


Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


Bose  and  crown 
above,  shaped  es- 
cutcheon   


Bat-tail  spoon  and  fork. 


Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 


230 


OLD  PLATE. 


Date. 

Maher’s  Marie. 

Article  and  Owner. 

1718 

B A 

Mullet  above  and  be- 
low, lobed  escutch- 
eon   ‘ 

(John  Bathe.) 

\ Paten. 

) S.  John’s  Church,  Richmond,  Va. 

Fa 

Heart-shaped  shield.  ; 
(John  Farnell.)  i 

) Tea  caddies. 

1 Messrs.  Sypher  & Co. 

I S 

Pellet  above,  one  be- , 
low  each  letter,  zl 
bet,  lobed  shield . . J 
(Thos.  Issod.) 

1 Chalice. 

1 S.  John’s  Church,  Richmond,  Va. 

1719  WA 


) Pitcher. 

" ' } 


Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


1720  FA  Fleur-de-lis  a b o v e , / 

mullet  below,  I Flagon  and  chalice. 

shaped  escutcheon  J s.  Jolm’s  Church,  Lunenburg,  Va. 

(Thos.  Farren.)  \ 

1 Flagon  and  paten. 

' North  Farnham,  Va. 


Old  Standard  Resumed,  with  Initials  of  Christian  and  Surname,  but  both 
allowed. 


1721 

P A 

Shaped  shield 

1722 

I B 

Plain  oblong  

I S 

Mitre  (?)  above, 
shaped  shield 

TF 

Fleur-de-lis  above, 
mullet  below, 
lobed  escutcheon 
(Thos.  Ffarrer.) 

1723 

C G 

Mullet  above, 
shaped  escutcheon 

1724 

L A 

Crowned,  mullet  be- 
tween, trefoil  be- 
low, shaped  escut- 
cheon   

(Paul  Lamerie.) 

1725 

R-G 

Shaped  shield 

(Richd.  Gines.) 

1727 

T T 

Cinquefoil  above, 

crowned 

(Thos.  Tearle.) 

1730 

R B 

1731 

T-F 

Thos.  Ffarrer,  as  in 
1722  

Paten. 


S.  Peter’s  Church,  Perth  Amboy. 


Candlesticks,  hexagonal  bases,  baluster 
stems. 

Mr.  B.  S.  Ely. 


Chalice  and  paten. 

S.  Peter’s  Church,  Perth  Amboy. 

Chalice  and  paten.  The  gift  of  Mr.  Robt. 
Tucker. 

Christ  Church,  Norfolk,  Va. 


Tea  caddies. 


Messrs.  Sypher  & Co. 


' Snuffer  tray,  with  handle. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


) Jug. 

I Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

S Octagonal  coffee-pot. 

^ Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

< Tankard. 

) Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

Baptismal  bason. 


Martins  Brandon,  Va, 


CHRONOLOGICAL  LIST. 


231 


Date.  Maker’s  Mark. 

1731  L-C  Fleur-de-lis  above, 

crowned 

(Louys  Cuny.) 

1732  E P Lion  rampant  above 

(Edward  Pocock.) 

I M F linked  1 

1733  t?  (Jos.  Allen  and  Morde-< 

^ caiFox.)  J 

1734  K A Mitre  above,  plain  i 

shield < 

(Charles  Kandler.)  I 

1735  J S Linked 

(Joseph  Sanders.) 


Article  and  Owner. 
i Hand  candlestick. 


Two-handled  cup. 


Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 


1736  P’L 


1737 


Star  and  crown 
above,  fleur-de-lis 
below,  shaped  es-  < 

eutcheon  

(Paul  Lamerie. ) 


T Richard  Gurney  & Co. 
R . G (Note  : This  mark  was 
C first  entered  in  1727  by  , 
Thomas  Cooke  and 
Richard  Gurney.) 


Communion  service,  five  pieces,  with 
Royal  arms  JJ, 

Christ  Church,  Boston. 

. Wine  cistern. 

I Winter  Palace,  St.  Petersburg. 

(Electrotype,  Metropolitan  Museum,  N.  Y.) 

) Hand  candlesticks. 

1 Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

Alphabet  XVI.  1736  to  1755. 

Large  circular  salver. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


Paten. 


Christ  Church,  Bruton  Parish,  Va. 


1738  JR 


Star  above,  lobed  es- 1 

eutcheon 

(John  Robinson.) 


Waiters. 


Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


The  marks  since  the  restoration  of  the  Old  Standard  in  1720  having  become 
confused  and  uncertain,  it  was  ordered  by  the  Act  of  1739,  which  came  into 
operation  on  May  28th,  that  the  makers  destroy  their  existing  marks,  and  sub- 
stitute for  them  the  initials  of  their  Christian  and  Surnames  — directing,  in  addi- 
tion, that  the  new  letters  should  in  each  case  be  of  a different  character  or  alpha- 
bet from  those  before  used. 


1739 

1740 


T F Thos.  Farren 

R : .A  Robert  Abercromby. 

L D Crowned 

(Lewis  Dupont.) 


5 Alms  bason. 
| Waiter. 

| Coffee-pot. 


Jamestown  Old  Church,  Ya. 
Messrs.  Sypher  & Co. 
Gorham  Mfg.  Co. 


1741  J A.  Joseph  Allen  and 
J\f  F Mordecai  Fox 


Communion  service,  five  pieces,  with  the 
Royal  arms 

Trinity  Church,  Boston. 
Communion  service,  five  pieces,  with  the 
Royal  arms 

S.  John’s  Church,  Portsmouth,  N.  H. 


J N John  Newton 


Tea  caddies  and  sugar  basin. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


232 


OLD  PLATE. 


Date. 

1744 

1745 

1747 

1748 

1750 

1751 

1752 

1753 

1755 

1756 

1757 


1758 


Malcev’s  Marie. 


Article  and  Owner. 


PA 

Peter  Archambo . . . ■ 

y Sauce  boat. 

Mrs.  M.  A.  Rives. 

RA 

Robert  Abercromby, 
as  in  1740  

J Small  salvers. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

TT 

Crowned 

(Thos.  Tearle.) 

j Cream  Ewer. 

Mrs.  Buck. 

e n . 

1 Cake  basket. 

1 

Gorham  Mfg.  Co. 

TIT 


Thomas  Heming.  . . . 


. Two-handled  cup  and  cover.  Engraved 
) marine  scene:  “The  Greyhound”  in 
) chase  of  “La  Flora.” 

Scroll-and-Keys  Soc’y,  Yale  University. 


W - G William  Gould(?) . . . 


Hand  candlestick. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


JR 


Mullet  above 

(John  Robinson.) 


Alms  bason. 
Waiter. 


The  gift  of  Capt.  Whitwell. 
Christ  Church,  Norfolk,  Va, 

Messrs.  Sypher  & Co. 


W 

W ■ S 
P 


William  Shaw  and 
William  Priest  . . . 


Chalice  and  paten. 

S.  Peter’s  Church,  Salisbury,  Md. 


31  & John  Swift 

JVC  E Magdaline  Feline. 


i Sugar  bowl  and  cover. 

I Mrs.  M.  A.  Rives. 

i Waiter. 

\ Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


W G William  Gould 


\ Pair  of  candlesticks. 

\ Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

Alphabet  XVII.  1756  to  1775. 


R-  C 


j Plain  jug- 


Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


I-  T 


Table  spoon. 


Mrs.  Buck. 


F • W In  irregular  oblong,  j Tankard. 
(Fuller  White.)  ( 


Gorham  Mfg.  Co. 


JVC  F Mordecai  Fox 


I • D Mullet  between 


l Flagon  with  Royal  arms  Q-#  The  gift 
< of  Gov.  Thos.  Boone. 

( S.  Michael’s,  Charleston,  8.  C. 

i Cruet  stand  and  casters. 

\ Messrs.  Sypher  & Co. 


R COX 


Cup  repoussA 


Gorham  Mfg.  Co. 


I 

E-  A 
S 


Ed.  Aldridge  and  S Cake  basket. 
Jno.  Stamper 1 


Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


CHRONOLOGICAL  LIST. 


233 


Date. 

Maker’s  Mark. 

Article  and  Owner. 

1759 

• I 

"? 

i Chalice  and  paten. 

1 S.  Martin’s,  Hanover,  Va. 

A J 

Alexander  Johnston. 

$ Coffee-pot. 

\ Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

w 
w-  s 

p 

Wm.  Shaw  and  Wm.  J 
Priest,  as  in  1751.  J 

1 Cup  repousse. 

1 Gorham  Mfg.  Co. 

3i  • §>  John  Swift,  as  ini  Sugar  bowl  and  cover. 


1752  . I Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 

F • W Fuller  White,  as  in  i Baptismal  bason. 

1757  I S.  John’s,  Portsmouth. 


1760  M ■ F Mordecai  Fox 
1757  . 


a,  in  / Alms  bas 

’.  G.R. 


bason  and  paten,  with  Royal  arms 


Trinity  Church,  New  York. 
Paten  with  Royal  arms  The  gift 

of  Gov.  Thos.  Boone. 

S.  Michael’s,  Charleston,  S.  C. 


1761 


r\  a Shaped  escutcheon  . i Baptismal  bason.  The  gift  of 
r>  o (Daniel  Smith  and<  z el  Ap thorp. 


Mrs.  Griz- 


R S Kobert  Sharp.)  ( 

1762  W C | Toilet  boxes,  shell 


Christ  Church,  Cambridge. 


covers. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


H 

I-  S 
C 


John  Hyatt  an  d S Hand  candlesticks. 
Chas.  Semore  ...  ) 


Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


1763  F • W Fuller  White 


Flagon.  The  gift  of  Mr.  Charles  Perkins. 

Christ  Church,  Norfolk,  Va. 


I • D As  in  1758 


i Cruet  stand  and  casters. 

\ Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


1©  CT  Mullet  above i Pair  of  candlesticks. 

(Wm.  Cafe.)  \ Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


T-  C Thos.  and  W m.  i Table  spoons. 
l‘b4:  W-  C Chawner \ Mr.  E.S.  Ely. 

TH  Crowned 1 Chalice,  with  Royal  arms  £r.  R. 

(Thos.  Heming.)  I Trinity  Church,  New  York. 


1765 

1766 


LB 

Louis  Black - 

S Coffee-pot. 

Gorham  Mfg.  Co. 

Sift 

John  Swift,  as  in  < 
1752  i 

) Sauce  boat. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

J©f) 

William  Howard . . . . ■ 

( Small  cup. 

Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 

S ■ W 

t 

) Plain  tankard. 

) Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

TH 

Thos.  Heming,  as  in 
1764  

^ Alms  bason, 

with  Royal  arms  Q-.  R. 
Trinity  Church,  New  York. 

234 


OLD  PLATE. 


Date. 

1766 


1767 

1768 

1769 

1770 

1771 

1772 


1773 


I C 


Malcev’s  Marie.  Article  and  Owner. 

Monogram,  shaped  ( Paten. 

shield I s.  George’s  Church,  Hempstead,  L.  I. 


E • C Probably  Ebenezer  /Pair  of  candlesticks. 


Coker 


Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


I Messrs.  I 

I Inscription  on  foot  of  each  : 

t“BOT  in  1766  IN  THE  ROOM  OP  A 

E 

LARGE  AND  SMALL  SALT  Y GIFTS  OP  W 
CUNIGRAVES  AND  JAS  BUNCE  JUNR,” 


Another  Pair.  Inscription  : 

“ BOT  IN  1766  IN  THE  ROOM  OP  A SALT 
OCTAGON  THE  GIFT  OP  WM  KIFFINS  ESQ.” 

All  four  have  the  coat  of  arms  of  The 
Leather  Sellers  Company,  London. 


R.  S 


) Seal-headed  spoon. 


Mr.  E.  Holbrook. 


I P Prince  of  Wales’ 

E W plume  above 

(Parker  and  Wakeliu, 
goldsmiths  to  the 
Prince.) 


Sauce  boat. 


Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


E-  C As  in  1766 

$ Inkstand. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

I • C.  John  Carter(?) 

| Salver. 

Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 

I D John  Darwall 

| Tea-pot. 

Gorham  Mfg.  Co. 

W V William  Vincent . . . 

) Tea-pot. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

A F Andrew  Fogelberg. 

\ Pair  of  candlesticks. 

\ Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

W A 

) Pair  of  candlesticks. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

R R Richard  Rugg(?) . . 

j Salver. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

T-  W 

| Coffee-pot. 

Mrs.  Buck. 

WG  William  Grundy  . 

S Coffee-pot. 

Messrs.  Sypher  & Co. 

® ' £ S.  & I.  Crespell 

| Large  oval  salver. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co 

II 

c _ A Chas.  Aldridge  and 
q Henry  Green  ...  . 

| Cake  basket. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

R • H Plain  oval 

(Robert  Hennell. ) 

J Salts. 

Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 

CHRONOLOGICAL  LIST. 


235 


Bate. 

1773 

1774 

1775 

1776 

1777 

1778 


1779 

1780 

1781 

1782 

1783 

1784 


Maker's  Mark.  Article  and  Owner. 

WT  (Pitcher,  inscribed:  “Remember  the 

’ Donor,  R B ” 

( Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

W C j Plain  beaker. 

( Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 

J • S Mullet  between . $ Plam  tankard- 

( Gorham  Mfg.  Co. 

T-W  A«  in  1770  $ Two-handled  cup,  strap-handles. 

1 " \ Scroll-and-Keys  Soc’y,  Yale  University. 

r w ( Tankard. 

i Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

Alphabet  XVIII.  1776  to  1795. 

W P plume above^.68  S °T?\  pliT-e’  giP  rcp0USS(5-  “Hunter’s 
,TX  , , < Return  ” m center. 

(John  Wakehn  and  j TT  . „ 

Wm.  Tayler.)  ' Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

R C 

D H Robert  and  David ) Salts. 

H Hennell ^ Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

TW  $ Cream  ewer. 

I Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

HG  ..  j Large  gadrooned  punch-bowl,  gilt. 

( Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

G S George  Smith ( Table  spoons. 

(A  noted  spoon  maker.)  ( Mrs.  Buck. 

H B Hester  Bateman. . . . \ Cream  ewer- 

I Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

I • C John  Crouch  and  ( Large  salver. 

T-  H Thos.  Hannam } Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

T D T.  Daniell \ Salts' 

l Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

D S Smith  and  Sharp,  as  ( Salver. 

R S in  1761 $ Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 

w r J Plain  tankard. 

( M.  G.  Bissell. 

p -p  J Waiter,  pierced  edge. 

I Messrs.  Howard  Ai  Co. 

R • H Robert  Hennell,  as  ( Salts. 

in  1773  ( Mr.  R.  S.  Ely, 

I • W Wakelin  and  Tayler,  ( Cake  basket. 

W-  T as  in  1776  ( Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

i©  * Wm.  Sumner  .....\  Dessert  spoons'  M „ a m 

l Mr.  R.S.  Ely. 

H B Hester  Bateman,  as  ( Sauce  boat. 

in  1778 ( Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

w M S Oval  tray. 

( Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


236 


OLD  PLATE. 


From  Dec.  1,  1784,  the  duty  mark  of  the  sovereign’s  head;  for  the  first  two 
years  in  intaglio  * (like  the  matrix  of  a seal),  instead  of  in  relief. 


Date.  Maker's  Mark. 


Article  and  Owner. 


1784 

T D* 

T.  D a n i e 1 1 , as  in 
1778  

( Urn-shaped  tea  caddy. 

1 Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

I.  L* 

J ohn  Lambe 

^ Tea  caddy. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

E.  F* 

Ed.  Fennell 

s Inkstand. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1785 

HB * 

Hester  Bateman,  as  ( Argyle. 
in  1778 ) 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1786 

G S 
W F 

George  Smith  and 
Wm.  Fearn 

| Bowl. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1787 

E F 

Edward  Fennell  as  in 
1784 

i Tankard. 

( President  Eliot,  Harvard  University. 

W S. 

| Salt  spoon. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1789 

R-  C 

Richard  Crossley 

| Dessert  spoons. 

Mr.  R.  S.  Ely. 

I-  T 

Pellet  between  . ... 

| Tea-pot,  repousse. 

Gorham  Mfg.  Co. 

1791 

I-  C 
T-  H 

John  Crouch  and 
Thos.  Hannam,  as 
in  1778 

j Salver. 

Noted  by  G.  M.  C. 

H C 

Henry  Chawner  ... 

| Chafing  dish. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

S G 
E W 

Sam.  Godbehere  and 
Ed.  Wigan 

S Table  spoons. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1793 

s J 

Stephen  Joyce 

( Large  ewer  and  salver. 

\ Mrs.  M.  A.  Rives. 

1794 

I-  w 

R-  G 

J.  Wakelin  and  Robt.  ( Cake  basket. 
Garrard ( 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1795 

S H 

j Oval  salver. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

Alphabet  XIX.  1796  to  1S15. 

1796 

P P 

Peter  Podie(f) 

| Coffee-pot. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1797  WB 


| Tea-pot. 


Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


txt  . -ttt-.t  .-.X  S Dish  with  cover. 

1798  W-  A William  Abdy s 


Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


1799  W H 


( Chocolate-pot. 

* 


Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 


CHRONOLOGICAL  LIST. 


237 


Date. 

Maker's  Mark. 

Article  and  Owner. 

1800 

P B 
A B 
W B 

Peter,  Ann,  and  Wm. 
Bateman 

S Dessert  spoons. 

Mrs.  Buck. 

C C 

I 

S Tea-pot. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

JE 

John  Ernes 

J Chalice. 

} First  Presbyterian  Ckurcli,  Macon,  Ga. 

1801 

JE 

John  Ernes,  as  in 
1800  

) Chafing  dish. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1803 

S G 
E W 
I B 

Godbehere,  Wigan, 
and  Bult 

^ Cream  ewer. 

1 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

T D 

S Sugar  basket. 

i 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1804 

S W 

S Hexagonal  salts. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

C H 

Chas.  Hougham  .... 

\ Tea  caddy. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

R S 

Robert  Sharp 

\ Mustard-pot. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1805 

P B 
W B 

Peter  and  William 
Bateman 

S Table  spoons. 

Mr.  E.  S.  Ely. 

S G 
E W 
I B 

Godbehere,  Wigan,  1 
and  Bult,  as  in 
1803  i 

^ Milk  jug. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

T G 
I G 

Thos.  and  Josh. 
Guest 1 

\ Inkstand. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

W.  B 
R.  S 

1 Egg-boiler  and  tray. 

I Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1806 

C F 

t 

\ Tea,  sugar  and  cream. 

1 

Gorham  Mfg.  Co. 

W B 

Wm.  Bennett ' 

( Snuffers  and  tray. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

JE 

John  Ernes,  as  in  1 
1800  i 

\ Pepper  caster. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1807 

T D 

Thos.  Dexter < 

i Inkstand. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

W B 

Wm.  Bennett,  as  in  i 
1806  , 

i Candlestick. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1808 

A F 

( 

i Tea-pot. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

R.  C 

Richard  Crossley  . . . < 

. Mustard-pot. 
f Tea-pot. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

23S 


OLD  PLATE. 


Date. 

Maker's  Mark. 

Article  and  Owner. 

1809 

W F 

\ Inkstand. 

1 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

C-  C 

Charles  Chesterman. 

S Cream  ewer. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

A F 

As  in  1808.  , 

S Tea-pot. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1810 

E M 

i Cream  ewer. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

S W 

i Inkstand. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1811 

P-  S 

Paul  Storr  . 

| Coaster. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

I E 
E E 

j Toast-rack. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

E-  M 

Ed.  Moore 

| Shaving-cup. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1812 

I C 
W R 

i Inkstand. 

1 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1813 

G W 

Geo.  Wintle 

) Taper-holder. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

I-  S 

Jas.  Sutton. . 

| Tea  urn. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1814 

P.  S 

Paul  Storr, 
1811  .... 

as 

in 

| Tea  tray. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

R S 

Robt.  Sharp, 
1804  

as 

in 

| Salver. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1815 

I C 
W R 

i Toilet  box. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

1 

P.  S 

Paul  Storr, 
1811 

as 

in 

$ Salver. 

Messrs.  Howard  & Co. 

From  the  latter  part  of  the  last  century  the  makers’  marks  were  of 
a very  plain  character,  being  merely  the  initials  of  Christian  and  sur- 
name in  Roman  capitals  inclosed  in  a die  to  suit  the  letters,  without 
any  signs  or  emblems. 


ENGLISH  AND  FOREIGN  HALL  MARKS. 


239 


EXAMPLES  OF  ENGLISH  AND  FOREIGN 


London,  1572. 


London,  1595. 


London,  1625. 


^ O S3  ® 


London,  1691. 


l & 6 e>  @ 


London,  1702.  j 

\ 

London,  1714.  \ 


London,  1751. 


# 300G 


London,  1775. 
London,  1784. 
London,  1795. 

London,  1822. 
London,  1885. 


HALL  MARKS. 


Four  Marks. 

1 . Lion  passant. 

2.  Large  leopard’s  head 

crowned. 

3.  Date  letter. 

4.  Maker’s  mark. 


1.  Lion’s  head  erased. 

2.  Britannia. 

3.  Date  letter. 

4.  Maker’s  mark. 


1.  Lion  passant. 

2.  Small  leopard’s  head 

crowned. 

3 - Date  letter. 

4.  Maker’s  mark. 


Five  Marks. 

5.  Sovereign’s  head 
(from  1784). 


(2.  From  1822,  Leop- 
ard’s head  without 
crown.) 


240 


OLD  PLATE. 


examples  of  hall  makes. — ( Continued .) 


Exeter,  1733.  John  Elston,  maker. 


Sheffield,  1774. 


Sheffield,  1808.  ' 


> (King’s  head.) 


Sheffield,  1818. 

(The  crown  and  date-letter  were  often  used 
as  one  punch.) 


Dublin,  1808. 


Holland. 


Holland  ? 


The  Hague. 


A lion  rampant  crowned, 
a shield  of  the  town 
> arms,  maker’s  mark, 
and  date  letters. 


Amsterdam. 


Amsterdam. 

J 


LONDON  DATE  LETTERS. 


241 


TABLES  OF  THE  LONDON  DATE  LETTERS. 


CHARACTERS  OF  THE  ALPHABETS. 


V.  1518  to  1538  — Lombardic. 

VI.  1538  to  1558  — Roman  letter,  and  other  capitals. 

VII.  1558  to  1578  — Black  letter,  small. 

VIII.  1578  to  1598  — Roman  letter,  capitals. 

IX.  1598  to  1618  — Lombardic,  external  cusps. 

X.  1618  to  1638  — Italic  letter,  small. 

XI.  1638  to  1658 — Court  hand. 

XII.  1658  to  1678  — Black  letter,  capitals. 

XIII.  1678  to  1696  — Black  letter,  small. 

XIV.  1696  to  1716 — Court  hand. 

XV.  1716  to  1736  — Roman  letter,  capitals. 

XVI.  1736  to  1756  — Roman  letter,  small. 

XVII.  1756  to  1776  — Old  English  or  black  letter,  capitals. 
XVIII.  1776  to  1796  — Roman  letter,  small. 

XIX.  1796  to  1816  — Roman  letter,  capitals. 

XX.  1816  to  1836  — Roman  letter,  small. 

XXI.  1836  to  1856  — Old  English  or  black  letter,  capitals. 

XXII.  1856  to  1876  — Old  English  or  black  letter,  small. 
XXIII.  1876  to  1896  — Roman  letter,  capitals. 


Care  must  be  taken,  in  examining  plate,  to  place  the  shield  containing  the 
date  letter  with  its  pointed  base  downward,  or  some  confusion  may  arise  in 
mistaking  b for  q,  p for  d,  n for  u,  f for  j (in  Cycle  XVI),  etc. 

For  the  earlier  cycles  see  “Old  English  Plate,”  by  Mr.  W.  J.  Cripps,  who, 
however,  in  the  third  edition,  1886,  discards  the  first  two  cycles  of  his  previous 
editions,  the  fifth  becoming  the  third,  the  present  being  the  twenty-first.  These 
tables  are  taken  from  that  valuable  hand-book  by  the  kind  permission  of  the 
author. 


16 


242 


OLD  PLATE. 


LONDON  DATE  LETTERS. 


243 


244 


OLD  PLATE. 


LONDON  DATE  LETTERS. 


245 


246 


OLD  PLATE. 


XXI. 

XXII. 

XXIII. 

m 

1836-7 

VICT. 

1856-7 

1876-7 

m 

1837-8 

ffi 

1857-8 

1877-8 

£ 

5j) 

1838- 9 

1839- 0 

© 

m 

1858- 9 

1859- 0 

1878- 9 

1879- 0 

W\ 

1840-1 

1860-1 

1880-1 

1841-2 

Gt) 

1861-2 

1881-2 

* 

!@| 

1842-3 

m 

1862-3 

1882-3 

NOTE. 

Since  1697.  if  not 

1843-4 

® 

1863-4 

1883-4 

earlier,  the  London 
marks  have  teen  of 
several  sizes  so  as  to 

1844-5 

CiJ 

1864-5 

1884-5 

suit  large  and  small 
articles,  and  whilst 
the  largest  size  of 

&i 

1845-6 

(ft 

1865-6 

W 

1885-6 

punch  bears  the 
marks  as  they  are 
here  given,  the 

1846-7 

1866-7 

V 

1886-7 

smaller  sizes  often 
have  the  letter,  lion 
passant,  or  other 

1847-8 

1867-8 

1887-8 

mark,  on  a plain 
square  or  oblong 
with  the  comers 

Igl 

a 

1848- 9 

1849- 0 

co] 

1868- 9 

1869- 0 

1888-9 

5889-0 

slightly  cut  otf ; 
sometimes,  how- 
ever, they  are  a 
small  edition  of  the 
f uR-sized  marks. 

a 

1850-1 

m 

1870-1 

1890-1 

i 

1851-2  ! 

(ffi 

1871-2 

1891-2 

m 

1852-3  i 

90 

1872-3 

1892-3 

n 

1853-4 

m 

1873-4 

1893-4 

1854-5 

1874-5 

1894-5 

IS 

1855-6 

m 

1875-6 

1895-6 

As  before. 

As  before. 

As  before. 

MARKS. 

1.  Leopard’s  head.  2.  Maker's  mark. 

3.  Date  letter.  4.  Lion  passant. 

5.  Sovereign’s  head. 

SUMMARY  OF  LONDON  HALL-MARKS. 


247 


SUMMARY  OP  LONDON  HALL-MARKS. 


Black  Let.,  Sm.  . . 1558  ^ 
Black  Let.,  Sm.  . . 1561 
Roman  Caps  . ..  1578  7 

Lombardic  Caps.  .1598 

Italics,  Sm. 1618 

Court  Hand 1638 

Black  Let.  Caps.  1658 
* Black  Let.,  Sm..  1678 

© 

Court  Hand 1696  a 

Roman  Caps 17161 

t Roman,  Sm. 1736  7 

Old  English  Caps.  1756  l 

Roman,  Sm 1776  >- 

Roman  Caps  1796  7 

Roman,  Sm 1816 

Old  English  Caps.  1 8 3 6 
Old  English,  Sm.  . 1856 
Roman  Caps 1876 


Each  alphabet  with  one  * excep- 
tion consists  of  twenty  letters  ; J,  U 
or  F,  W,  X,  E and  Z,  being  the 
letters  omitted. 


KSS 

Q'-e-i 


After  1560  all  letters  in  a shield. 

Four  marks. 

1.  Lion  passant. 

" 2.  Large  leopard’s  head  crowned. 

3.  Date  letter. 

4.  Maker’s  mark. 


® 00  • I 

s§ 

“ >>  50 

rH 


1.  Lion’s  head  erased.  2.  Britannia. 
3.  Date  letter.  4.  Maker’s  mark. 


ft  From  1739-1755  shaped 
shield.) 

1.  Lion  passant. 

2.  Small  leopard’s  head  crowned. 

3.  Date  letter. 

4.  Maker’s  mark. 


© ® 

• <N  CO 
O CO  00 


*“*  O £- 


1.  Lion  passant. 

2.  Small  leopard’s  head  crowned 

(from  1822  without  crown). 

3.  Date  letter. 

4.  Maker’s  mark. 

5.  Sovereign’s  head  (from  1784). 


1697  standard  raised  to  11  oz.  10  dwts.  — 1720  old  standard  revived. 
(175  oz.  T'roy=  192  oz.  avoirdupois. ) 


248 


OLD  PLATE. 


* TABLE  OF  MAKERS’  MARKS,  LONDON,  1675-1697, 

Stamped  from  the  identical  punches  on  a copper-plate  pre- 
served at  (Goldsmiths  Hall,  from  the  date  of  the  goldsmiths 
order  of  the  23d  February,  1675,  until  the  15th  April,  1697, 
when  the  new  or  Britannia  standard  was  adopted,  and  the 
maker’s  initials  changed  from  the  Christian  and  surname  to 
the  two  first  letters  of  the  surname.  At  the  bottom  of  the 
plaque  is  written : 

“On  the  above  plate  are  the  marks  from  workmen  taken  at  this  office 
prior  to  the  Fifteenth  of  April,  A.  D.  1697,  of  which  not  any  other  Entry  is 
to  he  found.” 

This  change  in  the  method  of  marking  prevents  our 
tracing  many  of  those  which  follow  afterwards  in  the 
goldsmiths’  books. 

The  marks  are  stamped  irregularly  from  top  to  bottom  of 
the  plate,  and  when  one  was  imperfectly  struck,  a second 
was  placed  by  its  side,  and,  in  some  instances,  reversed. 
For  the  convenience  of  reference  the  marks  are  here  ar- 
ranged alphabetically,  with  the  imperfections  as  they  occur 
upon  the  plate.  It  may  be  noticed  that  the  initials  of  a 
widow  or  female  successor  are  always  placed  within  a loz- 
enge-shaped escutcheon ; unfortunately  the  names  are  wanting. 

The  “Touchstone  for  Gold  and  Silver  Wares”  (1677)  in- 
forms us  that 

“They  (the  Goldfmiths)  have  alfo  made  in  a part  of  their  Hall,  a place 
called  by  them  their  Ajjay-Office.  In  this  Office  is  likewife  kept  for  Pub- 
lique  View  a Table  or  Tables  artificially  made  in  Columns  (that  is  to  fay) 
one  Column  of  hardened  Lead,  another  of  Parchment  or  Velom,  and  fev- 
eral  of  the  fame  forts ; In  the  Lead  Columns  are  ftruck  or  entred  the  Work- 
ers Marks  (which  are  generally  the  two  fir  ft  Letters  of  their  Chriftian 
and  Surnames ) and  right  againft  them  in  the  Parchment  or  Velom  Columns 
are  writ  and  entred  the  Owners  Names.” 

It  is  probable  that  most  of  the  tables  and  records  were 
destroyed  in  the  great  fire  of  1666,  although  it  is  evident 
that  some  were  in  existence  in  the  time  of  the  writer  of  the 
“ Touchstone.” 

It  often  happens  that,  from  the  punch  having  slipped 
under  the  hammer,  the  marks  show  a double  line ; or,  hav- 
ing received  a double  stroke,  one  impression  partly  over- 
laps the  other. 


* Chaffers.  ' 


MAKERS’  MARKS,  LONDON,  1675-1697. 


249 


250 


OLD  PLATE. 


MAKERS’  MARKS,  LONDON , 1675-1697. 


251 


252 


OLD  PLATE. 


FRANCE. 

Marks  that  will  be  found  on  plate  made  in  Paris  prior  to 
1791  (p.  35): 

1.  Date-letter,  crowned,  until  1791.  (See  table  on  next 

page.) 

2.  Maker’s  mark. 

3.  Mark  of  the  charge  (1672-1791).  (See  tables,  pp.  254, 

255.) 

4.  Mark  of  the  discharge  (1681-1791).  (See  tables,  pp. 

254,  255.) 


SPECIMENS  OF  THE  MARKS  OF  THE  CHARGE  AND  DISCHARGE 
AS  USED  IN  PARIS  AND  THE  THREE  CHIEF  TOWNS  IN  THE 
PROVINCES  SHORTLY  BEFORE  THE  ABOLITION  OF  ALL  TAXES 

in  1791. 


( From  the  “Traite  de  la  Gar  untie]"1  par  B.  L.  Baibaud,  Paris,  1825.) 


CHARGE 

DISCHARGE 

Large 

silver-  silver. 

Larrje 

sil*er-  silver. 

General  Punches. 

Paris. 


Ingots  for  drawin 


Lyons. 


Foreign  plate. 


Bordeaux. 


Ancient  works. 


Rouen. 


Very  small  works. 


PARIS  BATE  LETTERS. 


253 


1669 

1694 

1717 

5 1740  l 
) 1741 S 

1764 

n 

1670 

1695 

1718 

1742 

1765 

1671 

1 . ' 

1696 

1719 

1743 

1766 

f 

1672 

1697 

1720 

1744 

1767 

)EI 

1673 

1698 

1721 

1745 

1768 

1674 

1699 

1722 

1746 

1769 

g 

1675 

1700 

1723 

1747 

1770 

1676 

1701 

1724 

1748 

1771 

IL 

1677 

1702 

1725 

1749 

1772 

M 

$ 1678  ) 
i 1679  $ 

1703 

1726 

1750 

1773 

LOUIS  XVI. 

1680 

1704 

1727 

1751 

1774 

ggj 

1681 

1705 

1728 

1752 

1775 

|§j 

1682 

1706 

1729 

1753 

1776 

0 

1683 

1707 

1730 

1754 

1777 

W 

1684 

1708 

1731 

1755 

1778 

H 

1685 

1709 

1732 

1756 

1779 

§ 

1686 

1710 

1733 

1757 

1780 

1687 

1711 

1734 

1758 

1781 

M 

1688 

1712 

1735 

1759 

1782 

w& 

1689 

1713 

1736 

1760 

1783 

m 

5 1690  ? 
\ 1691 J 

1714 

1737 

1761 

n 

LOUIS  XV. 

1692 

1715 

1738 

1762 

f 

1693 

1716 

1739 

1763 



i 

From,  1784  to  1791  the  letter  P.  crowned  (the  shape  varying  each  year),  the  last  two  figures  of 
the  date  between  crown  and  letter. 


254 


OLD  PLATE. 


LIST  OF  THE  FARMERS  GENEEAL  OF  THE  DUTIES,  AND  THEIR 
MASKS  FEOM  1672. 

(u  Old  French  Plate, ” Cripps.) 


Vincent  Fortier,  Oct.  1672-Oct.  1680. 

Adjudicataire  du  droit  de  marque. 


Paul  Brion  de  Saussoy,  Oct.  1680-1684. 

Sous-Fermier. 


Etienne  Ridereau,  1684-1687. 

Fermier. 


Jacques  Leger,  Oct.  1687-Dec.  1691. 

Fermier. 


Pierre  Pointeau,  Dec.  1692-1698. 

Fermier  General. 


Perrine,  1698-1703. 

Fermier  General. 


Etienne  Baligny,  1703-Dec.  1713. 

Fermier  General. 


Florent  Sollier,  Dec-  1713-Oct.  1717. 

Sous-Fermier. 


Etienne  de  Bouges,  Oct.  1717-1722. 

Fermier  des  droits  de  la  marque. 


Charles  Cordier,  1722-Nov.  1726. 

Charge  de  la  Regie  des  Fermes 
Generales  Unies. 


Jacques  Cottin,  Dec.  1726-Oct.  1732. 

Sous-Fermier. 


MARKS  OF  THE  FARMERS  OF  TEE  TAXES.  255 


LIST  OF  THE  FARMERS  GENERAL,  ETC.  — (Continued.) 


Calandrin,  1789. 


256 


OLD  PLATE. 


A TABLE  OF  MARKS  IN  USE  IN  PARIS  AND  THE  PROVINCES  DURING  THE 
ADMINISTRATION  OF  JEAN  BTE.  FOUACHE  (1774^-1780). 


CHARGE. 

DISCHARGE. 

Large  Silver. 

Gold  and 
Small  Silver. 

Large  Silver. 

Gold  and  Small  Silver. 

*Paris. 

A 

Cipher  of  5 let- 

An  ox’s  head. 

An  ape’s  head. 

ters,  Paris. 

*Rouen. 

B 

Cipher R E 

A mare  weight. 

A walnut-shell. 

Caen,  Alen 

9011. 

c 

“ C E 

Head  of  Socrates. 

An  altar. 

*Lyons. 

D 

Cipher  of  4 let- 
ters, Lyon. 

A man’s  ear. 

A horse’s  head. 

Tours. 

E 

Cipher  of  5 let- 

The  sole  of  a right 

An  owl’s  head. 

ters,  Tours. 

foot. 

Poitiers. 

a 

Cipher  P T 

A eat. 

A goat’s  head. 

La  Rochelle.  JJ 

“ L R 

A squirrel. 

A cow’s  head. 

Limoges. 

i 

“ L M 

An  antique  vase  with 

A mitre. 

two  handles. 

*Bordeaux. 

K 

“ B D 

An  imperial  crown. 

A mask  (de  profil). 

Bayonn  e , 

Auch. 

L 

“ BON 

A pouch. 

The  sole  of  a right 

foot. 

Toulouse, Mon- 

tauban. 

M 

“ T L S 

A branch  of  a vine. 

A skylark. 

Montpellier. 

“ MPL 

Two  branches  of  lau- 

A poppy-head. 

rel  tied  together. 

Riom. 

0 

“ R 0 

A left  foot. 

A turban. 

Dijon. 

P 

“ D J 

A sea-shell. 

A garden  hat. 

Moulin s Or- 

leans. 

R 

“ OLA 

A closed  left  hand. 

A squirrel’s  head. 

Chalons. 

S 

“ R S 

An  ear  of  corn. 

The  butt  of  a pistol. 

Amiens,  Sois 

sons. 

X 

“ AM 

A bear’s  head. 

An  old  man’s  head. 

Bourges. 

Y 

“ B G 

A half-closed  right 

A sheep’s  head. 

hand. 

Grenoble. 

Z 

“ GNB 

The  right  fore  paw  of 

A helmet  (de  pro- 

a lion. 

fil). 

Aix. 

& 

“ AX 

A “composite”  capi- 

A swan’s  head. 

tal. 

Rennes. 

9- 

“ R N 

A branch  of  laurel 

A knot  of  ribbon. 

and  palm. 

Metz.  AA 

“ M Z 

A hind’s  head. 

A Cupid’s  head. 

* For  similar  marks  see  p.  252. 


INDEX  OF  PLACES 


Canada. 

PAGE 


Brantford 145 

Deseronto 145 

Connecticut. 

Middletown 206 

Delaware. 

Lewes 154 

Middletown 154 

Newcastle 154 

Wilmington 155 

Maryland. 

i 

Annapolis 156 

Hyattsville 156 

Salisbury 157 

Massachusetts. 

Boston 158 

Cambridge 189 

Dorchester 192 

Newburyport  199 

Salem 200 

New  Hampshire. 

Portsmouth 201 

New  Jersey. 

Burlington 148 

Perth  Amboy  149 

Swedesborough 150 

17 


New  York. 

PAGE 

Albany 145 

Hempstead 146 

Jamaica . 147 

New  York 141 

Bye 146 

Westchester 145 

North  Carolina. 

Edenton 207 

Pennsylvania. 

Philadelphia 151 

Rhode  Island. 

Bristol 203 

Newport 202 

Providence 205 

Wickford 202 

South  Carolina. 

Charleston.. 208 

Virginia. 

Brandon 215 

Bruton  211 

Christ  Church 218 

Hanover 218 

James  City 210 

Lunenburg 216 

Norfolk 213 

North  Farnham 216 

Richmond 212 


258 


OLD  PLATE. 


INDEX  OF  DONORS  OF  PLATE. 


PAGE 

Anne,  Queen...  143,  145,  146,  148 
149,  151,  203 


Ap thorp,  Dna 191 

Baker,  John 180 

Balston,  Nathl 162 

Barclay,  Rev.  H 143 

Barrett,  John 182 

Barrett,  Sami 178 

Belcher,  Gov 188 

Bethune,  Mrs.  Mary 191 

Boone,  Gov 208,  209 

Bovey,  Mrs.  Cath 148 

Boush,  Capt.  Sami 213 

Bracket,  Anthony  175 

Bradford,  A.  W 209 

Bridgham,  Elder  J 161 

Brown,  Col.  S 110 

Bullfinch,  Mad 179 

Cary,  Nathl 179 

Cheever,  Elder 178 

Cheever,  Jos 182 

Clap,  Hopestill 196 

Clap,  William 196 

Cunningham,  Nathl 171 

Danforth,  Elijah 195 

Dawes,  Thos 173 

Dixw ell,  John 181 

Dummer,  Lieut. -Gov 158 

Fahlun  Mining  Co 156 

Farnum,  David 183 

Flint,  Esther 195 

Foster,  John 169 

Fox,  Capt.  David ! . 219 


Frizell,  Mrs.  Dory.  . 

PAGE 

166,  167 

Frizell,  John 

165,  166,  178 

Garzia,  Rev.  J 

207 

Gengen,  John 

193 

George  II.,  King  ... 

.143.  188,  189 

George  III.,  King.  . . . 

201,  208 
144,  212 

Goodridge,  Walter  . . . 

169 

Gorland,  John  . . 

163 

Granby,  Mrs.  Mary . 

208 

Grant,  Deacon 

182 

Hancock,  Mrs.  Lydia. 

161 

Harris.  Richard 

97 

Harrod,  John 

178 

Hunewell,  Mrs.  Mary 

180 

Hutchinson,  Edward. 

170 

Hutchinson,  Gov 

178 

Hutchinson,  Thomas 

170 

Ireland,  Mrs.  Mary  . 

174 

Jones,  Isaac 

194 

Kay.  Nathl 203, 

204,  205,  206 

Lake,  Alice 

193 

Lake,  Thomas 

193 

Lathers,  R 

209 

Loring,  Nathl 

168,  183 

Lyman  C 

181 

March,  John 

146 

Marsh,  Mrs.  Sarah  C. 

201 

McGilchrist,  Rev.  Wm 200 

Milles,  -Johannis 

199 

More,  Sami 

161,  162,  173 

INDEX  OF  DONORS  OF  PLATE. 


259 


PAGE 

Morrison,  Francis 210 

Mosely,  Col.  E. 207 

Mosley,  Ebenezer 197 

Middleton,  Hy.  A 210 

Midelton,  Hy 210 

Oliver,  Ebenezer 179 

Oxenbridg,  Jno 160 

Parkman,  Elias 183 

Penn,  Hon.  .John 159 

Pen  Ruddock,  Mrs.  A 178 

Perkins,  Charles  215 

Phillips,  Wm 172 

Preston,  Remember 197 

Preston,  Sarah 198 

Prince,  Rev.  Thos. 175 

Quary.  Col.  R 119,  152 

Royall,  Isaac  205 

Saffin,  Martha 176 

Saltonstall,  Dame  Dory. 171 

Saltonstall,  Mad.  Mary 177 

Savage,  A 187 

Schoolmaster,  G.  T 206 

Senior,  H.  V. 174 

Sewall,  Rev.  Dr 177 

Shirley,  Gov 189 

Simpson,  John 172 

Soc’y  for  the  Propagation  of  the 

Gospel 117,  202 

Stoughton,  Hon.  W 109,  194 


149,  150 


PAGE 

Tayloe,  Col.  John 217 

Thatcher,  Mrs 192 

Thayer,  Suviah 164 

Tollman,  Farr 176 

Towzell,  John 200 

Tresse,  Margaret 153 

Troup,  John 147 

Tucker,  Robert 214 

Tudor,  Capt.  Thos. 186 

Tyng,  Dudley  A 200 

Vanderspiegle,  Mrs.  E -154 

Vassall,  J 117 

Vassall,  L 187 

Vassall,  W 117 

Waite,  Thomas 158 

Waldron,  Rev.  Wm 166,  167 

W aters,  Rebecca 180 

Welsteed,  Mad.  Eliz 162 

Welsteed,  Mad.  Sarah 168 

Welsteed,  Rev.  Wm 166,  167 

Wensley,  Mrs.  Eliz 166 

Westhrope,  Maj.  John  215 

Whit  well,  Capt. 214 

William.  King,  and  Mary,  Queen,  141 

144,  190 

William  HI.,  King 157 

Williams,  Deacon  J 163 

Winthrop,  Adam 170 

Winthrop,  Gov.  John 159 

Wiswell,  Lois 198 

Woodbury,  Capt.  A 200 


Yeldall,  Dr. 


Talbot,  Mrs.  John 


207 


260 


OLD  PLATE. 


INDEX  OF  MAKERS  AND  MARKS. 


(Maries  consisting  of  two  or  more  letters  should  he  looked  for  under  the  first  letter 
of  the  pair  or  group.) 


PAGE 

PAGE 

Abercromby,  R 

231 

Bateman,  P.  and  W. 

237 

A B 

225 

Bathe,  -T 

....  212,  229 

Abdy,  W 

236 

B B 

203,  222,  249 

AD 

249 

Belknap 

54 

A-  D 

175 

Belknap,  S 

56 

R 

Bennett,  W.  . . . 

237 

A F 

234,  237,  238 

Bentley,  T. 

56 

A G 

249 

58 

A H 

250 

B H 

162 

AJ 

232 

Black,  L 

233 

A K 

250 

B M 

250 

A L 

250 

BO 

202.  228 

Aldridge  & Green  . 

234,  237,  238 

Bodington,  J. . . 

....  202,  228 

Aldridge  & Stamper . 

232 

Bogardus,  E 

58 

Allen  & Fox 

188,  189,  201 

Bonnet,  J 

58 

230,  231 

Bourdet,  S. 

58 

Allen,  J 

60 

Bowyer  

54 

A N 

250 

BP 

197,  224,  250 

Anderson,  W 

58 

B R 

....  144,  149 

A Ne  linked 

148 

Brasher,  E 

59 

A P 

210,  223 

Brevoort,  J 

58 

A R 

207,  221,  250 

Bridge 

1 66,  180,  223 

Archambo,  P 

231 

Brigdon 

54 

Austin,  N 

56 

Broadhurst,  S. . . 

58 

A W 

227,  250,  251 

B S 

161,  251 

Buell.  A 

57 

Burger,  J 

59 

B 

249 

Burr,  E 

61 

B A 

212,  229 

Burrill,  S 

166,  222 

Batch  & Fryer 

57 

Burt 

54 

Ball,  W 

60 

Burt,  B 

. 53 

, 56,  198,  224 

Bancker,  A 

58 

Burt,  J 

53,  179,  222 

Bartlett,  S 

158,  224 

Burt,  S 

53 

Bateman,  H 

235,  236 

Burt,  W 

. 53,  171,  223 

INDEX  OF  MAKERS  AND  MARKS. 


261 


PAGE 


C 

C A 

Cafe,  W. . . 
C A-  H G. 
Cario,  M.  . . 
Caron,  N. . . 
Carter,  J.  . 


C B 155,  174, 

C C 237, 

CD 

C E 

C F 

C G 152, 

C H 228, 


Chartier,  J 

Chawner,  T.  and  W 

Chawner,  H 

Chene,  D 

Chesterman,  C. 

C I monogram 

Ck 

C K 

CL 

Clarke,  J 203,  206, 

Clifton,  J 

CO 229, 

Codner  

Coker,  E 

Colds,  L. 

Cornelison,  C 

Cowell,  W 53,  173,  174, 

Cox,  0. 

Cox,  R 

C R 

Crespell,  S.  and  I 

Cross 

Crossley,  R. 


Crouch  and  Hannam 235, 

CS 

C T monogram  

Cuny  Louys 

C W 208,  235, 


249 

249 

233 

234 
58 

58 
234 
225 
238 
249 

249 
237 
230 

237 
228 
233 

236 

59 

238 

250 

249 

250 
229 
222 

229 
250 

54 

233 
127 

58 

223 

2-29 

232 

250 

234 
53 

237 
236 

251 
251 

230 
251 


I) 227, 

D A 

Daniell,  T 235, 

Darwall,  J 

David,  1 154, 

Davis 54, 

Dawson,  J 

D B 227, 


DePeyster,  W. 


249 

249 

236 

233 

224 

56 

59 

249 

58 


PAGE 


DeRemier,  P 58 

Dexter,  T 237 

D G 249 

D H 161,  223 

D I 192,  220 

Dixwell,  J.  54,  160,  161,  175,  179 
180,  181,  182,  194,  220,  221 

D L 250 

Dodge,  C 61 

Dodge,  N 61,  205 

Doolittle,  A 57 

D S.  BS 191,  233,  235 

D T monogram  251 

Dubois,  A 153 

Dummer,  J 53 


Dunn,  C 58, 

Dupont,  L 

i)  v 

d w 

Dwight,  T 


59 

231 

251 

251 

53 


E A 

E A-  IS 

Eastt,  J 

E B 

EC 

E D mongram  . 

Edwards  

Edwards,  T.  . . . 

E F 

EG 

EH  

El 

E K 

EL 

EM 

Ernes,  J 

Emery 

Emery,  S 

E M F linked  . 
England,  W. . . . 

E O 

E P 

E R 

E T 

Etting,  B. 

EV.' 

Evans 


146,  151,  228,  232 

232 

146,  151,  228 

249 

234,  249 

249 

54 

58,  205,  223 

236 

226,  249 

250 

250 

250 

250 

238,  250 

237 

54 

56 

249 

60 

250 

230 

250 

251 

58 

251 

183 


E W .169,  170,  204,  220,  222 


F 249 

FA 217,229,230,249 


262 


OLD  PLATE. 


PAGE 

Parnell,  J 229 

Farren,  T 209,  211,  230,  231 

F B 249 

F C 249 

F D monogram  249 

F E 249 

Feline,  M 232 

Fennell,  E. 236 

Ffarrer,  T 213,  216,  217,  230 

F G 141,  144,  156,  190,  226 

227,  249 

F H E linked 249 

Fielding,  G 58 

F L 250 

Fogelberg,  A 233 

Folson,  J 57 

Forbes,  W.  G 58,  59 

Foster,  J 53,  56 

Fox,  M. . . 144,  188,  189,  201,  208 

209,  232,  233 

Frothingham 54 

F S 226,  251 

Fueter,  D.  C 58,  59 

Fueter,  L 58 

F W ....  201,  215,  232,  233,  251 

G 249 

Ga 143,  145,  229 

Gardner,  J 206,  224 

Garthorne,  F. . 141,  143,  144,  145 

156,  190,  227,  229 

G B 249 

G C 218 

Gee,  J 60 

Germon,  J. 60 

G F 249 

G G 249 

G H 169,  250 

4&i 148,  149,  202,  228 

Gibson,  W 148,  149,  202,  228 

Gilbert,  W 59 

Gines,  R 230 

G M 250 

Godbebere  and  Wigan  . 236,  237 

Goelet,  P "...  58 

Gorham,  J 61 

Gorham  Mfg.  Co 61 

Gould,  W 232 

G P 250 

G R 143,  223,  229 

Greene,  R 186,  221,  229 

Griffith,  D 56 


Grigg,  W 

Griselm , C.  . . . 
Grundy,  W. . . 

GS 

G S 

G S.  W F 

G T 

Guest,  T.  & J. 
Gurney  & Co. . 

GW 

GZ 


PAGE 

58 

. 60,  152 
. . . . 234 

235 

226,  251 

236 

251 

237 

211,  231 
238,  251 
. ....  152 


H 250 

Hall,  J 57 

Halsted,  B.  59 

Harache,  P. 122,  211,  227 

Hastier,  J 58 

Hays,  A 58 

H B 226,  235,  236,  249 

H C 236,  249 

H E linked 249 

Heath,  J 58 

Heming,  T. . . . 144,  211,  232,  233 

Henchman,  D 54,  161,  223 

Hennell,  R 234,  235 

H G 235,  249 

H H 250 

8?i 229 

Hill,  R 229 

H K 250 

H L 250 

H N 155 

Holmes 54 

Homes,  W 56 

Hopkins,  J 57 

Hougham,  C. 237 

Hour  tin,  W 58 

Houtenburgh,  T 58 

Howard,  W 233 

HP 250 

HR 250 

H S 226 

H T 251 

Hull,  J.  . . . 52,  160,  163,  175,  176 

192,  220 

Hunt,  E 60 

Hurd  ....  169,  195,  196,  222,  223 

Hurd,  B 54 

Hurd,  J.  . . 53,  163,  164,  187,  222 

Hurd,  N 53,54,161 

Hutton,  J 58 

HV 251 


INDEX  OF  MAKERS  AND  MARKS. 


263 


PAGE 


Hyatt  and  Semore 233 

1 250 

I A 249 


I A - M F 188,  189,  201,  230,  231 

IB 165,  167,  221,  230,  249 

I C.  108,  146,  159,  162,  173,  176 
177,  183,  199,  220,  221,  223 
226,  233,  234,  249 

I C-  T H 235,  236 

I C-  W R 238 

I D.  154,  160,  161,  175,  179,  180 
181,  182,  183,  194,  220,  221 
224,  232,  233,  234,  249 
I E.  158,  162,  163,  164,  173,  186 
194,  220,  221,  222,  224,  249 


IE  EE 

238 

IF 

249 

I G 

164, 

169,  222,  249 

I H 

163,  226,  250 

I H-  C S 

233 

I H-  R S 

160, 

163,  175,  176 

192,  220 

I I 

250 

IK 

250 

I L 

236,  250 

I M 

250 

IN 

250 

I O 

250 

IP 

250 

IP-  E W 

234 

I R 153, 

168, 

204,  221,  222 

223,  250 

I S.  150,  212, 

229, 

230,  238,  251 

Issod,  T 

212,  229 

IT 

232,  236,  251 

I W 

210,  251 

I W -R  G . . 

236 

I W ■ W T.  . . . 

235 

1 Y 

251 

Jackson,  J 

58 

JE 

237 

Jenckes,  J.  C. 

61 

Jovce,  S 

236 

Jenks,  J 

52 

JN 

231 

Johnson,  S.  . . 

59 

Johnston,  A.  . 

232 

JB 

214,  231,  232 

JS 

. . . . 231,  235 

3 $ 

232,  333 

PAGE 

K 250 

K A 231 

Handler,  C 132,  231 

Kendrick,  A 58 

Kiersteade,  C 58 

Kip,  B 58 

Kingston,  J 58 

Kneeland,  1 117,  221 

L 250 

LA 230 

LA 228 

Ladyman,  J 228 

Lamerie,  P.  . . 135,  138,  230,  231 

Lanibe,  J 236 

LB 233 

L C 127,  230,  249 

LD 231,  249 

Leach,  C 56 

Leach,  N. 56 

Le  Roux,  B. 58 

Le  Roux,  C 58 

Le  Roux,  J 58 

LI 250 

LO 156,  228 

Lofthouse,  M.  E 156,  228 

Lorin,  P 58 

LS  251 

Lyell,  D 58 

Lyng,  J.  B 58 

M 174,  215,  226,  250 

M A 228 

Martin,  P. 58 

Masham,  W 228 

Maverick,  P 59 

MB  linked 249 

ME 249 

M F 144,  208,  209,  232,  233 

MG 249 

M H 250 

Minott 172,  223 

M K 250 

MM 250 

Moore,  E 238 

Morris,  S 58 

Moulinar,  J 58 

Moulton 172,  179,  224 

M P linked 250 

MS 251 

MW  251 


264- 


OLD  PLATE. 


PAGE 

Myers,  M 58,  59 

N B 249 

N C 249 

Nelme,  Anthony 148' 

Newton,  J 231 

N G s 249 

N W 251 

O F monogram 249 

O G 249 

Onelebag,  G.  58 

Overin,  R 58 

P 250 

PA 231 

Pa 150,  229,  230 

Paddy,  S 53 

Parker 54 

Parker  and  Wakelin  . 233 

Parisien,  0 58,  59 

Payne,  H 229 

PB-AB-WB  237 

PE 228 

Peake,  R 228 

Pelletrau,  E 58 

Perkins,  J. 56 

PH  211,  227,  250 

PLerpont 54 

Pierpont,  B. 56,  197,  224 

Pitman  and  Dorranee 61 

P K . . 250 

PL 231,  250 

PM 250 

P O 166,  222 

Pocock,  E 230 

Podie,  P 236 

Pons,  T 56 

Potwine,  1 168,  224 

P P 236 

PR 170,  198,  235,  251 

PS 152,  220,  238 

(juintard,  P 58 

R 227,  250 

R A 231 

R B 225,  230 

R C 232,  236,  237,  249 

RE 249 

He  186,  229 

Read,  J 186,  229 


PAGE 

Revere  . . 163,  164,  175,  178,  179 


223,  224 

Revere,  E 56 

Revere,  P.  . . . 54,  55,  56,  170,  198 

Revere,  T 56 

Reynolds,  T 59 

R G 186,  221,  230,  249,  250 

RG.TC 211,  231 

RH 234,235,250 

RH-DH 235 

R 1 250 

Richardson,  F 60 

Ridgeway,  J 56 

R K 250 

R L 250 

R M 250 

R N 250 

Robert,  C 58 

Robinson,  J 214,  232 

Rominie,  J 58 

Roosevelt,  N 58 

RP  152,  227,  250 

R R 234 

R S 234,  237,  238,  251 

R T 251 

Rugg,  R 234 

R W 251 

Rydout,  G 58,  59,  143,  223 


S 

Sanders,  J 

Sanderson,  R 52,  53,  160, 

175,  176,  192, 
Saunders 


251 

231 

163 

220 

61 


S.  B 166,  222 

S.  C 249 

SC-  IC 234 


Schaats,  B 58 

S.  D 249 

S E 249 


SG-  EW 236 

S G.  E W.  I B 237 


Sharp,  R 237, 

Shaw  and  Priest 157, 

Simpkins,  T.  B 

S H 219,  227,  236, 

S I 

s J 

Skinner,  A 

S.  L 


238 

232 

56 

250 

250 

236 

58 

250 


Slydell,  J 58 

S.  M 213,  228 


INDEX  OF  MAKERS  AND  MARKS. 


265 


PAGE 

Smith,  G 235 

Smith,  J 56,  213,  228 

Smith  and  Fearn 236 

Smith  and  Sharp.  . . . 191,  233,  235 

S N 250 

SO 251 

SR 251 

S S 146,  149,  154,  222,  251 

ST 251 

S T • H E linked 249 

,$t.  pc  228 

Stocker  and  Peacock 228 

Storr,  P 238 

Sumner,  W 235 

Sutton,  J 238 

S V 226,  251 

S W 233,  237,  238,  251 

Swift,  J 232,  233 

,3>P 228 

Syngin,  R 228 


T A 226,  249 

T B 249 

T B L monogram 250 

T C 249 

TC-WC 233 


T D 

T E 

Tearle,  T. 

Ten  Eyck,  C.  . 
TF.  . . 157, 


235,  236,  237 

249 

230,  231 

58 

209,  211,  213,  216 
226,  230,  231,  249 


T G 159,  226,  249 

T G ■ I G 237 

T H.  144,  147,  211,  223,  232 
233,  250 

Thomas,  W 58 


T I 


250 


Timbrell,  R. 

T K 

TL t 

T M linked 

TP 

T R 


251 

226 

250 

. ...  250 

199,  226 
. ...  251 


Trott,  J 197 

T S 251 

T T 168,  230,  231,  251 

TV 251 


PAGE 

T W 234,  235 

Tyler 54 

Tyler,  A 53 

Tyler,  D 56 

V anderspiegel,  J 58 

Vaughn,  D 60 

Vergereau,  P.  58 

Vincent,  W 233 


W A 230,  234,  236 

Wakelin  and  Garrard  236 

Wakelin  and  Tayler 235 

W B 236,  237,  249 

WB-RS  237 

W C 116,  233,  235,  249 

Wc  233 

W D 154 

Wc 229 

W F 238 

W F linked 249 

W G 232,  234,  250 

W H 236 


White,  Puller  . 201, 

W H 

IDb 

W I 

Wintle,  G 

Wisdome,  J 

Wishart,  H 

W K linked 


215,  232,  233 
. . 235,  250 

233 

147,  228,  250 

238 

147,  228 

. . 207,  224 

250 


W L 

W M 

WN 

W P 

W R 

ID  & 

W S 

W S • W P.  . 

W T 

W V 

W W 

Wyncoope,  B. 
Wynkoop,  C. . 


250 

250 

250 

163,  221,  250 
193,  220,  251 

235 

236,  251 

157,  232 

235 

234 

251 

58 

58 


Y T 
YZ 


227,  251 
251 


266 


OLD  PLATE. 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Aberdeen  34 

Albany 57 

Alloys  3,  4 

Alms  basons  77 

Altar  candlesticks 77 

Alphabetical  date-letters . 14, 15,  241 

America 2,  38,  45,  74 

American  silversmiths 52 

Amsterdam  240 

Anchor  mark 16 

Apostles’  spoons 83,  85 

Assay 6,  7,  8 

Augsburg 12,  38 

Avoirdupois  weight 10 


Banker  goldsmiths 43 

Basins,  ewers  and 99 

Baskets,  cake  and  bread 137 

Basons 76 

Beakers 72,  118 

Betts  v.  Robertson 39 

Bible,  early  notices  of  gold  and 

silver  in  the 1 

Birmingham 16 

Boston 52 

Bottles,  costrels  or  pilgrims’ 76 

Boudoir  furniture  131 

Bristol  14,  15 

Britannia  standard 4,  15 

Cake-baskets 137 

Can 80 

Candelabra 129 

Candlesticks 77,  129 

Carat 4 

Casters  134 

Castle  mark 33,  34 

Caudle-cups 120 

Cellini,  Benvenuto 42 

Chalices 63 

Chester 15 


PAGE 

Chinese  122 

Chocolate-pots 136 

Chronological  list  of 
Examples  of  American  plate  . . 220 

“ London  plate 225 

Church  plate 62,  141 

Cisterns,  wine 132 

Cocoanut-cups 105 

Coffee-pots 135 

Coins,  silver 39 

Cologne 38 

Colonial 38 

Communion-cups  69 

Copper 3,  4 

Cork 34 

Coventry 14 

Cream  jugs 137 

Crown  mark 16 

Cruet-stands 134 

Cups,  standing 102 

Cups 80,  104,  117,  119 

Date-letters 14,  15,  241 

Deniers 37 

Domestic  plate 78 

Dublin  34,  240 

Dundee 34 

Duty 16,  38,  39 

Ecclesiastical  plate 62,  141 

Edinburgh 33 

Epergnes 137 

Esterlings 5,12 

Ewers,  basins  and  99 

Examples  of  English  marks  239 

“ “ Foreign  “ 240 

Exeter 15,  240 

Farmer  of  duties 35,  254 

Flag  and  staff  mark 34 

Flagons  75 


INDEX. 


267 


PAGE 

Flasks  76 

Flaxman 42 

Fleur-de-lis 35 

Forgeries 45 

Forks  124 

Fountains,  wine 132 

France 35 

Frauds 45 

French  marks,  tables  of 252 

Frosted  silver 9 

Geneva,  New _ 34 

Germany 38 

Glasgow 33,  34 

Goddards 80 

Gold 1,  3 

Gold  plate 78 

Goldsmiths  Co 7,  8,  13 

“ weights 9,10 

Guilds  11,12 

Hague,  the 240 

Hall-marks,  where  placed.  . . .47,  49 

Hanaps 73,  102 

Harp  mark 34 

Hibernia  34 

Historical  sketch 40 

Hogarth 42 

Holbein 42 

Holland 38,  240 

Index  of  donors 258 

“ “ makers 260 

“ “ places 257 

Inverness 34 

Ireland 34 

Jewelers  2 

Jugs,  stone-ware 99 

Justa,  the 80 

Kettles,  tea 136 

King’s  head  mark 16 

Lamerie  Paul  9 

Lancaster 61 

Lemon-strainer 129 

Leopard’s  head  13,16 

Lily 35 

Lincoln 14 

Lion 15 

Lion’s  head 16 


PAGE 

London  marks,  tables  of.  . . .239,  241 

Loth,  a German  weight 38 

Loving-cups 108 

Maidenhead  spoons 81 

Makers’  marks 13 

“ “ Chronological  list 

of 220,  225 

Maryland 3 

Massachusetts 3,  52 

Mazers 90 

Monkey  spoons 89 

Monteiths 128 

Montpellier 12,  14,  36 

Mur r a,  the 90 

Nef,  the 80 

Newburyport 56 

Newcastle-upon-Tyne  14,15 

New  England 114 

New  Geneva 34 

New  York 3,  58 

Norwich 14,  15 

Nuremberg 12,  38 

Ostrich  eggs,  cups  of  105 

Paris 11,  35,  253 

Pewter  vessels 71 

Perth 34 

Philadelphia 39,  60 

Pittsburgh 61 

Plate  and  plate  buyers 18 

Plate,  the  word 3 

Plates 123 

Porringers  and  posnets  120 

Pound 9,  10 

Providence 61 

“Quarterly  Review” 18,  50 

Queen’s  head 16 

Rouen 36 

Russia..  38 

Salisbury 14 

Salts 93 

Salvers 99 

Sauce-boats 128 

Sconces 130 

Scotland 33 

Shakspere 5,  56,  83,  126 

Sheffield 16,  240 


268 


OLD  PLATE. 


PAGE 

Sideboard 79 

Silver  1,  3 

Sovereign's  bead ( 16 

Spain 38 

Spoons 47,  48,  81 

“ Apostles’ 83,  85 

“ maidenhead 83 

“ monkey 89 

“ seal-headed 88 

“ tea 89,  137 

St.  Andrews  34 

Standards 4,  5 

“ French 37 

Sterling 5,  12 

Stone-ware  jugs  99 

Strasbourg  36 

Tankards  Ill 

Tasters  118 

Tazze  . 117 

Tea-kettles 136 

“ pots  135 

“ spoons 89,  137 

urns 136 


PAGE 

Thistle  mark 34 

Toilet  services 131 

Touch,  trial  by  the  5,  6,  7 

Touch  of  Paris 12 

Touchstone,  a 5,  7 

Tower  pound 9 

Transformations  49 

Transpositions 47 

Troy  weight 9,  10 

Trussing-cups  80 

Tumblers  122 


United  States  . 2,  39,  74,  75,  76, 114 


Urns,  tea 136 

Virginia 3 

Voiders 80 

Wardens 13 

Weights 9,  10 

Wine-cisterns 132 

York 14,  15 


